Aflatoxins are chemicals produced by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus molds that grow in soil and decaying vegetation. They are toxic, poisonous and carcinogenic. They are known to be found in improperly stored foods such as corn, cotton seed, millet, peanuts, rice, sorghum, sunflower seeds, tree nuts, wheat and some spices.

They are mycotoxins produced in small concentrations by fungi of the genus Aspergillus. They can also be produced by fungi of the genus Penicillium, such as P. verrucosum. They are very important in the food industry, especially in sectors such as cereals, seeds, tree nuts and dehydrated fruits, since they can be contaminated by toxigenic fungi, with the formation of mycotoxins depending on the storage conditions. Their toxicity potential is very high and depending on the level they can cause the death of living beings that consume a product infected with any of these toxins.