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The present investigation aimed to conduct a comprehensive analysis of curry/chili powder and its constituent ingredients to detect the presence of aflatoxins (AFs). Additionally, the study sought to examine various physicochemical factors like moisture or citric acid that could potentially have a significant role in mitigating aflatoxin levels in curry powder. The mean concentrations of aflatoxins B1 (AFB1) in ground chilies obtained from Jehlum, Jhang, and Faisalabad were 69.05 ± 6.44, 31 ± 10.02, and 65 ± 5.79 µg kg-1 with standard deviation, respectively. The mean concentrations of AFB1 in curry powder obtained from Jehlum, Jhang, and Faisalabad were 39 ± 10.07, 27 ± 8.82, and 35 ± 10.04 µg kg-1 with standard deviation, respectively. The present study also revealed that the presence of moisture at a level of 15 % showed a significant impact on the concentration of aflatoxin in red chili powder, resulting in a range of 8 - 13 %. Similarly, in the case of curry powder, the same moisture level contributed a range of 13 - 25 % in aflatoxin concentration. The degree of detoxification (percentage (%) reduction in aflatoxin) was studied by using 0.1 %, 0.2 %, and 0.3 % aqueous solutions of citric acid. Reduction in aflatoxin %age ranged from 96 % to 99 % was obtained for different curry powder samples by using 0.3 % aqueous solution of citric acid, whereas a 0.2 % aqueous solution of citric acid also yielded good outcomes. This % age reduction in aflatoxin level in acidic medium showed a direct relation with the concentration of citric acid (as concentration was increased, percentage (%) reduction in aflatoxin level increased). Based on the pertinent information regarding the validated method, it can be inferred that this approach has the potential to serve as an effective, economically viable, and time-efficient technique for analyzing and reducing aflatoxins in curry powder and its constituent components.
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