[Reconsideration of the role of aflatoxins in public health].
The pathogenicity of aflatoxins for human has been largely demonstrated. Although aflatoxin contamination of some foodstuffs has been unquestionably established, stress should be laid upon a certain lack of information: some of the affected foodstuffs have been "forgotten" in the enumeration of contaminated products (especially soybeans); relations between mycotoxins and food balance have not yet been taken into account: for instance, the influence of some vitamins, of various compounds (carotenoids, methionine, ...), influence of deficiency in proteins (often very important in Africa) etc... aflatoxin bioavailability has not sufficiently been examined (particularly that of milk aflatoxin M1.); concerning aflatoxin evaluation in contaminated products, it should be known that their distribution is very irregular. Sampling and following analysis should thus be carried out most carefully; for these motives, some conditions and likewise regulations would can again scrutinized.