Modelling the dynamics of toxicity associated with aflatoxins in foods and feeds

Toxicol Rep. 2017 Jun 6:4:358-363. doi: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2017.05.009. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

In this paper, we developed a mathematical model to describethe dynamics of Aflatoxins in plants, animals, and humans. Fourequilibrium points were found, and their stability analyses wereconducted using threshold quantities. If both are less than one, thestandardized toxic limit is not exceeded, while if both are greater thanone it is exceeded in both animals and humans. Standardized toxic limitis exceeded in a relevant host (animals or humans) when their respectivethreshold quantity is greater than one. Numerical simulations werecarried out to support the analytic results. The need to use experimentaldata in the model is also shown. This could ease satisfactoryharmonization of acceptable standards and facilitate international tradeof food and feeds.

Keywords: Aflatoxins; Dynamics; Foods and feeds; Mathematical model; Threshold quantity; Toxicity.