fa تحقيقي Original Paper <div><strong>ABSTRACT</strong><br> <strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Background and Objective:</strong> Mycotoxins are a group of relatively resistant toxic metabolites. The most important mycotoxins are aflatoxins (B1 and B2, G1 and G2), which originate from contaminated animal feed. Dairy cattle transmit aflatoxins B1 and B2 through milk in form of aflatoxins M1 and M2, and endanger the human health. Traditional buffalo farms play an important role in the supply of dairy products in Khuzestan Province. In addition, the province has suitable conditions for the growth of various types of fungi. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the amount of aflatoxins in buffalo feed samples collected from two main suppliers of milk in the province (Ahvaz and Karun).<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <strong>Methods:</strong> Overall, 60 samples were collected during the 3 months of autumn 2014. Samples were analyzed by the sensitive and fast method of competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <strong>Results:</strong> The concentration of aflatoxin ranged from 0.77 to 64.85 &mu;g/Kg. In addition, the concentration of aflatoxin in 21 samples was higher than the permitted limit (25 &mu;g/Kg).<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <strong>Conclusion:</strong> The mean concentration of aflatoxin in the samples increases with the decrease in temperature and humidity. This increase is observed in Ahvaz at a higher rate, which could be due to inappropriate storage and use of rice bran in their feed.<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <strong>Keywords:</strong> Aflatoxins,&nbsp; Ahvaz, Animal Feed.</div> Aflatoxins, Ahvaz, Animal Feed. 21 25 http://mlj.goums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-453&slc_lang=fa&sid=1 Abdol Kazem Neisi akneisi@ajums.ac.ir 100319475328460012523 100319475328460012523 Yes Environmental Technologies Research Center, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran Huria Gharibi 100319475328460012524 100319475328460012524 No Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran Afshin Takdastan 100319475328460012525 100319475328460012525 No Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran Hamideh Rezazadeh 100319475328460012526 100319475328460012526 No Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran Mina Badiee 100319475328460012527 100319475328460012527 No Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran Fatemeh Zohrehvand 100319475328460012528 100319475328460012528 No Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran Adel Nazarzadeh 100319475328460012529 100319475328460012529 No Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran