QBD APPROACH IN GACP FOR THE CONTROL OF AFLATOXINS IN COLLECTION AND STORAGE OF ABELMOSCHUS MOSCHATUS SEEDS & TO IDENTIFY AFLATOXINS USING HPLC-FLD TECHNIQUE

The Cultivation of Abelmoschus moschatus plants for collecting seeds used for medicinal purposes is affected by Mycotoxins which are substances that moulds create under particular environmental circumstances. These pollutants harm both human and animal health. Mycotoxins are difficult to get rid of and are occasionally impossible. The best control is prevention. Controlling the moisture levels in herbal materials and storage conditions like temperature and/or relative humidity can help avoid the growth of mycotoxins. The different parameters like Harvesting season, Dry grain storage conditions, and crop rotation techniques affect the growth of the mycotoxins. In this trial, the plants are grown using different parameters affecting the production, the packaging material and storage conditions are also varied as per QBD approach and the level of mycotoxins, specifically aflatoxins (G₁, G₂, B₁ & B₂) are identified, quantified, and monitored. The Aflatoxins are identified and analyzed using the HPLC-FLD technique, a sophisticated method for estimating the aflatoxin content in ppb levels; the method is validated and provides accurate and precise results in the ppb levels. The Cultivation procedure, packaging and storage conditions and the method used for analysis provides good practices to avoid Aflatoxin content in Abelmoschus moschatus seeds.