Factors Affecting Aflatoxin Contamination of Harvested Maize in the Three Agroecological Zones of Uganda

2006 ◽  
Vol 6 (11) ◽  
pp. 2401-2407 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.N. Kaaya . ◽  
W. Kyamuhangire . ◽  
S. Kyamanywa .
Keyword(s):  
Aflatoxin Contamination ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Agroecological Zones

scholarly journals Development and scale-up of bioprotectants to keep staple foods safe from aflatoxin contamination in Africa

2021 ◽  
pp. 587-628
Author(s):  
Ranajit Bandyopadhyay ◽  
◽  
Alejandro Ortega-Beltran ◽  
Matieyedou Konlambigue ◽  
Lawrence Kaptoge ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
The United States ◽  
Aflatoxin Contamination ◽  
Barriers To Adoption ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Significant Public Health ◽  
Private And Public ◽  
Staple Foods

Aflatoxins pose a significant public health risk, decrease productivity and profitability and hamper trade. To minimize aflatoxin contamination a biocontrol technology based on atoxigenic strains of Aspergillus flavus that do not produce aflatoxin is used widely in the United States. The technology, with the generic name Aflasafe, has been improved and adapted for use in Africa. Aflasafe products have been developed or are currently being developed in 20 African countries. Aflatoxin biocontrol is being scaled up for use in several African countries through a mix of public, private, and public-private interventions. Farmers in several countries have commercially treated nearly 400,000 ha of maize and groundnut achieving >90% reduction in aflatoxin contamination. This chapter summarizes the biology of aflatoxin-producing fungi and various factors affecting their occurence, including climate change. Various management practices for aflatoxin mitigation are then discussed. These include biological control, which is increasingly being adopted by farmers in several countries. We discuss biocontrol product development and commercialization in various African countries. Subsequently, we highlight some barriers to adoption and other challenges.

scholarly journals Extent and Drivers of Mycotoxin Contamination: Inferences from a Survey of Kenyan Maize Mills

2014 ◽  
Vol 104 (11) ◽  
pp. 1221-1231 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. K. Mutiga ◽  
V. Were ◽  
V. Hoffmann ◽  
J. W. Harvey ◽  
M. G. Milgroom ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aflatoxin Contamination ◽  
Intervention Strategies ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
Maize Flour ◽  
Legal Limit ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Agroecological Zones ◽  
Small Scale Farmers

The prevalence of aflatoxin and fumonisin was investigated in maize intended for immediate human consumption in eastern Kenya at a time in 2010 when an aflatoxin outbreak was recognized. Samples were collected from people who brought their maize for processing at local commercial mills. Sites were selected using a geographical information system overlay of agroecological zones and Kenya's administrative districts. Interviews and collection of maize flour samples was conducted from 1,500 people who processed maize at 143 mills in 10 administrative districts. Mycotoxins were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for aflatoxin and fumonisin, leading to detection at levels above the respective maximum tolerable limits in 39 and 37% of the samples, respectively. Samples with aflatoxin contamination above the legal limit ranged between 22 and 60% across the districts. A higher occurrence of aflatoxin was associated with smaller maize farms, lower grain yield, and monocropping systems, while a larger magnitude of the toxin was observed in the subhumid agroecological zone, in samples with more broken kernels, and, curiously, less maize ear damage at harvest. Analysis of paired grain samples (visually sorted and unsorted) showed that sorting reduced fumonisin by 65%, from above to below the legal limit of 1,000 ppb. Sorting did not, however, reduce aflatoxin levels. Although the aflatoxin problem is widely acknowledged, the high prevalence of fumonisin has not previously been reported. There is need for surveillance of the two mycotoxins and establishment of intervention strategies to reach vulnerable small-scale farmers.

scholarly journals Aflatoxin awareness and Aflasafe adoption potential of Nigerian smallholder maize farmers

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 437-446 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.M. Johnson ◽  
J.R. Fulton ◽  
T. Abdoulaye ◽  
B. Ayedun ◽  
N.J.O. Widmar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Aflatoxin Contamination ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Stunted Growth ◽  
The Public ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Consistent Increase ◽  
Purchase Patterns ◽  
Very High

Aflatoxin is a potent mycotoxin that can cause cancer and death and is associated with stunted growth. Prevalence of aflatoxin is widespread in Africa negatively impacting health and trade. Aflasafe is a biological control product that can be applied to maize or groundnut fields to reduce aflatoxin contamination. This study examines the levels of aflatoxin and Aflasafe awareness and understanding among smallholder maize farmers in Nigeria. In addition, the factors affecting Aflasafe purchase patterns and sustained usage over multiple growing seasons by farmers were evaluated. In-person surveys of 902 Nigerian smallholder farmers were conducted during October and November of 2016. This work contributes to the existing literature by documenting awareness levels of aflatoxin and use of Aflasafe as a control in Nigeria. Results suggest that the level of awareness of aflatoxin was very high in states where Aflasafe was promoted as an intervention for aflatoxin management. In Kaduna state, the region with the longest intervention, there was a consistent increase in the usage of Aflasafe since its introduction in 2010. Furthermore, farmers who purchase Aflasafe bundled (combined) with other inputs were more likely to persist in using the product. Education was found to significantly and positively impact continued usage of Aflasafe. Continued interventions, promotion and general education of the public are recommended for increased awareness, trial, and adoption of Aflasafe in Nigeria.

scholarly journals Assessment of Aflatoxin Contamination of Maize, Peanut Meal and Poultry Feed Mixtures from Different Agroecological Zones in Cameroon

Toxins ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 884-894 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean Kana ◽  
Benoit Gnonlonfin ◽  
Jagger Harvey ◽  
James Wainaina ◽  
Immaculate Wanjuki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Peanut Meal ◽  
Aflatoxin Contamination ◽  
Poultry Feed ◽  
Agroecological Zones

scholarly journals Prevalence of Aflatoxin Contamination in Maize and Groundnut in Ghana: Population Structure, Distribution, and Toxigenicity of the Causal Agents

Plant Disease ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 102 (4) ◽  
pp. 764-772 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Agbetiameh ◽  
A. Ortega-Beltran ◽  
R. T. Awuah ◽  
J. Atehnkeng ◽  
P. J. Cotty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Population Structure ◽  
Open Access ◽  
Aspergillus Flavus ◽  
Economic Burden ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Aflatoxin Contamination ◽  
Agroecological Zones ◽  
First Time ◽  
Open Access Article ◽  
Aspergillus Section

Aflatoxin contamination in maize and groundnut is perennial in Ghana with substantial health and economic burden on the population. The present study examined for the first time the prevalence of aflatoxin contamination in maize and groundnut in major producing regions across three agroecological zones (AEZs) in Ghana. Furthermore, the distribution and aflatoxin-producing potential of Aspergillus species associated with both crops were studied. Out of 509 samples (326 of maize and 183 of groundnut), 35% had detectable levels of aflatoxins. Over 15% of maize and 11% of groundnut samples exceeded the aflatoxin threshold limits set by the Ghana Standards Authority of 15 and 20 ppb, respectively. Mycoflora analyses revealed various species and morphotypes within the Aspergillus section Flavi. A total of 5,083 isolates were recovered from both crops. The L morphotype of Aspergillus flavus dominated communities with 93.3% of the population, followed by Aspergillus spp. with S morphotype (6%), A. tamarii (0.4%), and A. parasiticus (0.3%). Within the L morphotype, the proportion of toxigenic members was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that of atoxigenic members across AEZs. Observed and potential aflatoxin concentrations indicate that on-field aflatoxin management strategies need to be implemented throughout Ghana. The recovered atoxigenic L morphotype fungi are genetic resources that can be employed as biocontrol agents to limit aflatoxin contamination of maize and groundnut in Ghana. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY 4.0 International license .

scholarly journals Assessment of Aflatoxin and Fumonisin Contamination of Maize in Western Kenya

2015 ◽  
Vol 105 (9) ◽  
pp. 1250-1261 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. K. Mutiga ◽  
V. Hoffmann ◽  
J. W. Harvey ◽  
M. G. Milgroom ◽  
R. J. Nelson
Keyword(s):  
Acute Poisoning ◽  
Aflatoxin Contamination ◽  
Whole Grain ◽  
Regional Survey ◽  
Western Kenya ◽  
Maize Varieties ◽  
Agroecological Zones ◽  
Prone Area ◽  
Potential Factors ◽  
Contamination Levels

We conducted a survey of aflatoxin and fumonisin in maize in western Kenya. In a regional survey of aflatoxin conducted in 2009 across three agroecological zones within three administrative regions, milled maize samples were collected from 985 patrons of 26 hammer mills. Aflatoxin contamination was detected in 49% of samples and was above the regulatory (10 ppb) in 15% of the samples overall; 65% of samples from a drought-prone area were over the limit. In a detailed survey in Bungoma County, we investigated aflatoxin and fumonisin contamination in four popular maize varieties at harvest and after 2 and 4 months of storage. We collected whole-grain samples from farmers’ storage sheds and milled samples from patrons of local mills. Mean aflatoxin contamination was identical for storage sheds and mills at 2.3 ppb. In all, 41% of the samples from mills had detectable aflatoxin, with 4% over the regulatory limit, whereas 87% had detectable fumonisin, with 50% over the regulatory limit (1 ppm). Mean contamination levels did not change during storage. Maize varieties differed in fumonisin contamination, with the most popular varieties vulnerable to both mycotoxins and weevils, which are potential factors in exacerbating mycotoxin contamination. Mycotoxin surveillance is important not just in areas known previously for aflatoxin contamination and acute poisoning but also is needed in all maize-producing regions.

scholarly journals Aspergillus flavus Infection and Aflatoxin Contamination of Preharvest Maize in Benin

Plant Disease ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 81 (11) ◽  
pp. 1323-1327 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Sétamou ◽  
K. F. Cardwell ◽  
F. Schulthess ◽  
K. Hell
Keyword(s):  
Aspergillus Flavus ◽  
Aflatoxin Contamination ◽  
Aspergillus Species ◽  
Geographic Pattern ◽  
Mussidia Nigrivenella ◽  
Aspergillus Infection ◽  
The North ◽  
Kernel Infection ◽  
Agroecological Zones ◽  
Aflatoxin Accumulation

Eighty and sixty maize fields were sampled in 1994 and 1995, respectively, to monitor Aspergillus infection and aflatoxin contamination of preharvest maize in Benin. Three Aspergillus species were isolated from different agroecological zones, with A. flavus being the most prevalent. The countrywide mean percentage of kernel infection was about 20% in both years. Aflatoxin was extracted from maize in at least 30% of the fields sampled. Toxin concentrations exhibited a distinct zonal variation, with relatively high levels in the Guinea Savanna. There was a trend toward higher rate of aflatoxin accumulation per percentage A. flavus infection from the south to the north. Damage by the ear borer, Mussidia nigrivenella, increased aflatoxin accumulation in maize. Hence, the geographic pattern observed in the occurrence of A. flavus and aflatoxin may be related to the incidence of M. nigrivenella.

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