Review on the Aflatoxins’ Contamination of Foods and Public Health Effects among Nigerian Population

Aflatoxin in foods and feeds need adequate monitoring on account of their severe toxicity and carcinogenicity to both humans and animals. This review was aimed at examining the public health risks attributed to chronic exposure of aflatoxins in foods within Nigeria. Both the reported cases of aflatoxins in foods and biomarkers in Nigeria signified increase in dietary exposure. Aflatoxins contamination levels ranges from 1.3 ng/g to 51,192ng/g in foods with an estimated dietary exposure of 0.00017 ng/kgbw/day to 9, 880.56 ng/kgbw/day. The percentage incidence of primary liver cancer cases (PLCC) attributable to the dietary aflatoxin exposure for every 100,000 Nigerians per year ranges from 0.0024 to 708.13% between 1998 to 2008 which increases to 0.0046 to 45,602% between 2009 to 2018. The percentage incidence of PLCC signified by urine aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) levels in adults was around 0.23 – 1.29% per 100,000 population per year. In children, the estimated PLCC and stunting due to aflatoxin exposure via breast milk were 0.0019 to 237.71 cancers per 100,000 populations per year and mild to severe stunting with height-for-age z-score (HAZ) value above -3 HAZ reductions. Hence, there is need for additional monitoring of the marketed foods and implementing more stringent control and prevention strategies that reduce dietary exposure levels in Nigeria. Keywords: Aflatoxins, Immuno-suppression, Stunting, Liver cancer

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Molds and Aflatoxins in Traditional Moldy Civil Cheese: Presence and Public Health Concerns

Journal of the Hellenic Veterinary Medical Society ◽

10.12681/jhvms.28517 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 72 (3) ◽

pp. 3223

Author(s):

NE ONMAZ ◽

S ÇINICIOĞLU ◽

C GUNGOR

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Dominant Species ◽

Aflatoxin M1 ◽

Its Sequence ◽

Penicillium Roqueforti ◽

Total Aflatoxin ◽

Health Concerns ◽

Legal Limits ◽

Its Sequence Analysis ◽

Contamination Levels

The purpose of this study was to detect the mold biota, the contamination levels of total aflatoxin (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2) and aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in moldy civil cheese. A total of 100 moldy civil cheese were collected from randomly selected retailers. Mold biota was determined with conventional and ITS sequence analysis, and Aflatoxin (AF) analysis was performed usingEnzyme-Linled Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). In the analyzed samples, Penicillium roqueforti (100%) was isolated as the dominant species followed by P. verrucosum (83%), Aspergillus flavus (17%). Fifteen (15 %) of moldy civil cheese samples contained AF with levels ranging from 12 to 378 ng/kg.Likewise, AFM1 was found in 25 (25 %) of samples (ranging from 5.46 to 141.56 ng/kg), among which 5 (5 %) were above the legal limits. Considering the presence of A. flavus, total AF and AFM1 contamination in the analyzed cheese samples it could be emphasized that moldy civil cheese might pose a hazard for public health.

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Aflatoxins in Mozambique: Impact and Potential for Intervention

10.20944/preprints201806.0319.v1 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Edgar Cambaza ◽

Shigenobu Koseki ◽

Shuso Kawamura

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Liver Cancer ◽

Developing Country ◽

Policy Making ◽

Primary Liver Cancer ◽

Epidemiological Studies ◽

External Trade ◽

The Public ◽

Time Space ◽

Over Time

Aflatoxins are a known cause of primary liver cancer in Mozambique since pre-independence epidemiological studies. However, their impact goes beyond the public health, affecting the country’s economy and raising legal concerns. As a developing country endemic for Aspergillus, the nation has been struggling to keep pace with external trade quality demands, delicate policy making, still dealing with the farmers’ limitations to control the contamination. The contamination shows variations over time, space and the different commodities. Considering the recommendations of the Codex Alimentarius, the major crops will be highly implicated unless there is major intervention from the authorities to control the toxins.

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