Which statement about aflatoxins is true?

• A. Aflatoxins are activated by cytochrome P450 enzymes in the liver and can cause hepatotoxicity.
• B. Aflatoxins have no effect on the liver.
• C. Aflatoxins are only produced in plants and do not affect animals.
• D. Aflatoxins are inactivated by cooking and pose no health risk.

Answer: (A)

Aflatoxins are fungal toxins that contaminate foods, and their harmful effect comes from how the body handles them in the liver. Liver cytochrome P450 enzymes metabolize aflatoxin B1 into a reactive 8,9-epoxide that forms covalent adducts with DNA and proteins, causing liver cell damage and raising the risk of hepatotoxicity and liver cancer. This metabolic activation explains why aflatoxin exposure is dangerous even at low doses and why ordinary cooking does not reliably destroy them. They are produced by molds, not plants, and they can affect animals when ingested. So the statement about activation in the liver and potential hepatotoxicity is the accurate one.