Aflatoxin

Aflatoxins are a family of potent mycotoxins produced by certain Aspergillus molds that can grow on crops and stored plant material.

They form when mold colonizes a plant during growth, harvest or storage, particularly in warm and humid conditions. Hemp is an agricultural crop, so aflatoxins belong in the same contaminant screen a laboratory applies to grains, nuts and other botanicals. The usual targets are aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2, often alongside ochratoxin A.

On a certificate of analysis, aflatoxin results usually appear in a mycotoxin section, reported in parts per billion against an action limit, with a pass or fail indication per analyte. A passing result means each measured level fell below the laboratory's limit for that method, not that the product was tested for every possible mold toxin. Because animals can be sensitive to these toxins, pet owners reading a certificate for an animal product have the same reason to look for this section.