Aflatoxins and fumonisins are two mycotoxins that are prevalent in cereals.Both toxins have associated and causal health effects in humans and livestock.Once formed in the substrates,the toxins are not easily destroye...Aflatoxins and fumonisins are two mycotoxins that are prevalent in cereals.Both toxins have associated and causal health effects in humans and livestock.Once formed in the substrates,the toxins are not easily destroyed.The preferred mitigation is to prevent contamination of the cereals and animal source foods.In this paper we set out to examine the practices of the farmers in two counties(Nandi and Makueni)in Kenya which exacerbates aflatoxin contamination and the government steps to address the issue in the agriculture and livestock sectors.The practices identified in Nandi and Makueni,respectively,included seed varieties where 19.3%and 56%are using local varieties;use of soil amendments where 5.8%and 181%are not using any amendments;crop rotation where 54.6%and 60.5%are not practicing crop rotation;22.7%and 37.5%are using wrong drying methods;and 53%and 77.1%are using poor threshing methods.The Kenya government is subsidizing fertilizers,seeds,increasing areas under irrigation,and providing extension services to build capacity of farmers to mitigate aflatoxin contamination.The paper examines also the cultural practices in land preparation,tillage,crop rotation,drying,sorting at farm,and proper storage as better alternative practices for easy adoption that would,if adopted,lead to a decrease in aflatoxin and fumonisin contamination and therefore reduce household exposure.Good agricultural practices should be a prerequisite for the adoption of other aflatoxin control technologies.展开更多
Aflatoxins and fumonisins contaminate cereals during pre-and post-harvest periods.In this study,household or market maize,sorghum,millet,cow or goat milk,and animal feed samples collected from two counties(Makueni and...Aflatoxins and fumonisins contaminate cereals during pre-and post-harvest periods.In this study,household or market maize,sorghum,millet,cow or goat milk,and animal feed samples collected from two counties(Makueni and Nandi)of Kenya and were analyzed for aflatoxins and fumonisins using competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and confirmation with high performance liquid chromatography.There was a significant difference(P<0.005)in the levels of aflatoxins between the home grown and market-sourced maize,sorghum,and millet samples.In Makueni,24.8%of home maize and 44.6%of the market maize samples exceeded the 10 ppb limit for aflatoxins.In all,93%and 90%of the maize samples were contaminated with fumonisins and 34%and 6%exceeded the 2 ppm limit in Makueni and Nandi,respectively;30%and 37%of homegrown sorghum and millet samples exceeded the 10 ppb limit for aflatoxin in Makueni and Nandi,respectively;and 89%and 81%of homegrown millet samples in Makueni and Nandi,respectively,were positive for fumonisins and 22%and 7%in Makueni and Nandi,respectively,exceeded the 2 ppm fumonisins limit.In total,52%and 87%of the milk samples in Nandi and Makueni,respectively,were contaminated with aflatoxin M1 and 8%of the samples from Makueni exceeded the 50 ppt limit.There is an urgent need to build capacity among the households on cheap,practical,and effective technologies that would reduce the proportions of food samples contaminated with aflatoxins and fumonisins.展开更多
Aflatoxins cause acute and chronic health and production effects in humans and animals,respectively.This study reports on the exposure of the Kenyan population to the two mycotoxins in two counties(Nandi and Makueni)u...Aflatoxins cause acute and chronic health and production effects in humans and animals,respectively.This study reports on the exposure of the Kenyan population to the two mycotoxins in two counties(Nandi and Makueni)using children younger than 5 years as the proxy.A questionnaire was administered,which captured knowledge of the incidences of acute aflatoxin poisoning,food consumption patterns.Analysis of aflatoxin in samples of urine,breast milk,maize,sorghum,and millet was done using cELISA and HPLC.Maize and sorghum are used in the weaning formula of children.The difference in consumption of maize-and sorghum-based diets in children between younger than 1 and between 1 and 5 years was significant with P=0.037 and P=0.002,respectively,in Nandi and Makueni.In children younger than 5 years,the consumption of maize ranged from 0.1 to 0.25 kg per person per day in Nandi and Makueni with an aflatoxin exposure rate of 0.011 and 0.49μg per kg body weight(bwt)per day,respectively.The exposure to aflatoxin through milk for children younger than 5 years was 4×10^(−4) and 1×10^(−4)μg per kg bwt per day in Makueni and Nandi,respectively.The exposure of nursing children through breast milk was 6×10^(−3) and 1×10^(−6)μg per kg bwt per day in Makueni and Nandi,respectively.Children younger than 30 months in Makueni had 1.4 times higher levels of aflatoxin M1(AFM1)in urine than those of the same age in Nandi.The stunting and severe stunting rates in Makueni and Nandi were 28.7%,18.5%and 30.7%,16.5%,respectively.Thus,there is need for urgent mitigation measures,a constant surveillance program,strict regulations,and awareness creation directed at poor households to reduce dietary exposure to mycotoxins.展开更多
基金the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland for providing financial assistance that enabled this study(MFA 24819801)the communities in Nandi and Makueni for allowing us to carry out the study and Government officers in both counties for their facilitation.
文摘Aflatoxins and fumonisins are two mycotoxins that are prevalent in cereals.Both toxins have associated and causal health effects in humans and livestock.Once formed in the substrates,the toxins are not easily destroyed.The preferred mitigation is to prevent contamination of the cereals and animal source foods.In this paper we set out to examine the practices of the farmers in two counties(Nandi and Makueni)in Kenya which exacerbates aflatoxin contamination and the government steps to address the issue in the agriculture and livestock sectors.The practices identified in Nandi and Makueni,respectively,included seed varieties where 19.3%and 56%are using local varieties;use of soil amendments where 5.8%and 181%are not using any amendments;crop rotation where 54.6%and 60.5%are not practicing crop rotation;22.7%and 37.5%are using wrong drying methods;and 53%and 77.1%are using poor threshing methods.The Kenya government is subsidizing fertilizers,seeds,increasing areas under irrigation,and providing extension services to build capacity of farmers to mitigate aflatoxin contamination.The paper examines also the cultural practices in land preparation,tillage,crop rotation,drying,sorting at farm,and proper storage as better alternative practices for easy adoption that would,if adopted,lead to a decrease in aflatoxin and fumonisin contamination and therefore reduce household exposure.Good agricultural practices should be a prerequisite for the adoption of other aflatoxin control technologies.
基金the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland for providing financial assistance that enabled this study(MFA 24819801)the communities in Nandi and Makueni for allowing to carry out the study and Government officers in both counties for their facilitation.
文摘Aflatoxins and fumonisins contaminate cereals during pre-and post-harvest periods.In this study,household or market maize,sorghum,millet,cow or goat milk,and animal feed samples collected from two counties(Makueni and Nandi)of Kenya and were analyzed for aflatoxins and fumonisins using competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and confirmation with high performance liquid chromatography.There was a significant difference(P<0.005)in the levels of aflatoxins between the home grown and market-sourced maize,sorghum,and millet samples.In Makueni,24.8%of home maize and 44.6%of the market maize samples exceeded the 10 ppb limit for aflatoxins.In all,93%and 90%of the maize samples were contaminated with fumonisins and 34%and 6%exceeded the 2 ppm limit in Makueni and Nandi,respectively;30%and 37%of homegrown sorghum and millet samples exceeded the 10 ppb limit for aflatoxin in Makueni and Nandi,respectively;and 89%and 81%of homegrown millet samples in Makueni and Nandi,respectively,were positive for fumonisins and 22%and 7%in Makueni and Nandi,respectively,exceeded the 2 ppm fumonisins limit.In total,52%and 87%of the milk samples in Nandi and Makueni,respectively,were contaminated with aflatoxin M1 and 8%of the samples from Makueni exceeded the 50 ppt limit.There is an urgent need to build capacity among the households on cheap,practical,and effective technologies that would reduce the proportions of food samples contaminated with aflatoxins and fumonisins.
基金the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland for providing financial assistance that enabled this study(MFA 24819801)the communities in Nandi and Makueni for allowing us to carry out the study and Government officers in both counties for their facilitation.
文摘Aflatoxins cause acute and chronic health and production effects in humans and animals,respectively.This study reports on the exposure of the Kenyan population to the two mycotoxins in two counties(Nandi and Makueni)using children younger than 5 years as the proxy.A questionnaire was administered,which captured knowledge of the incidences of acute aflatoxin poisoning,food consumption patterns.Analysis of aflatoxin in samples of urine,breast milk,maize,sorghum,and millet was done using cELISA and HPLC.Maize and sorghum are used in the weaning formula of children.The difference in consumption of maize-and sorghum-based diets in children between younger than 1 and between 1 and 5 years was significant with P=0.037 and P=0.002,respectively,in Nandi and Makueni.In children younger than 5 years,the consumption of maize ranged from 0.1 to 0.25 kg per person per day in Nandi and Makueni with an aflatoxin exposure rate of 0.011 and 0.49μg per kg body weight(bwt)per day,respectively.The exposure to aflatoxin through milk for children younger than 5 years was 4×10^(−4) and 1×10^(−4)μg per kg bwt per day in Makueni and Nandi,respectively.The exposure of nursing children through breast milk was 6×10^(−3) and 1×10^(−6)μg per kg bwt per day in Makueni and Nandi,respectively.Children younger than 30 months in Makueni had 1.4 times higher levels of aflatoxin M1(AFM1)in urine than those of the same age in Nandi.The stunting and severe stunting rates in Makueni and Nandi were 28.7%,18.5%and 30.7%,16.5%,respectively.Thus,there is need for urgent mitigation measures,a constant surveillance program,strict regulations,and awareness creation directed at poor households to reduce dietary exposure to mycotoxins.
