Mycotoxin profile of staple grains in northern Uganda: Understanding the level of human exposure and potential risks
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Date
2021
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Food Control
Abstract
Mycotoxins are toxic metabolites of fungi that contaminate food and feed. These toxins can cause acute and
chronic health threats to both humans and animals. In sub-Saharan Africa, exposure to mycotoxins is chronic and
under-reported. The study explores contamination of grains (sorghum, maize, groundnut, millet) with four
mycotoxins (aflatoxins, fumonisins, ochratoxins, and deoxynivalenol) and dietary exposure to quantify associated
health risks in northern Uganda. The results underscored the high prevalence of mycotoxins, only 7% of the
samples were free from toxins. Sorghum grains seemed to be the most susceptible to toxin contamination,
whereas in millet the toxin levels were, in general, the lowest. Besides, the results showed that the majority of
grains were contaminated with more than one mycotoxin and that the toxin pattern was dependent on the grain
type. Co-contamination with all four mycotoxins mainly occurred in sorghum grains. Besides the differences
between grain types, there were also significant differences in toxins levels depending on the district where the
grains came from. The estimated daily intakes for the mycotoxins were far above the recommended tolerable
daily intake (TDI), especially for sorghum. So, it can be concluded that the majority of the people whose diet is
mainly based on sorghum are exposed to multiple mycotoxins in a single diet and at a dose above the TDI. Such
exposure to multiple mycotoxins elevates the associated health risks. Millet grains, which were the least
contaminated, can provide an alternative to sorghum. However, to tackle the mycotoxin problem, other control
and prevention mechanisms, e.g. good agricultural practices and optimized storage must be further explored and
implemented in sub-Saharan Africa.
Description
Keywords
Africa, Grains, Mycotoxins, Thresholds
Citation
Wokorach, G., Landschoot, S., Anena, J., Audenaert, K., Echodu, R., & Haesaert, G. (2021). Mycotoxin profile of staple grains in northern Uganda: Understanding the level of human exposure and potential risks. Food Control, 122, 107813. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2020.107813