DefinitionAflatoxins are toxins produced by a mold that grows in nuts, seeds, and legumes.FunctionAlthough aflatoxins are known to cause cancer in animals, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows them at low levels in nuts, seeds, and legumes because they are considered "unavoidable contaminants."The FDA believes occasionally eating small amounts of aflatoxin poses little risk over a lifetime. It is not practical to attempt to remove aflatoxin from food products in order to make them safer.Food SourcesThe mold that produces aflatoxin may be found in the following foods:Peanuts and peanut butterTree nuts such as pecansCornWheatOil seeds such as cottonseedRecommendationsTo help minimize risk, the FDA tests foods that may contain aflatoxin. Peanuts and peanut butter are some of the