Concerned about aflatoxins? Here’s what you need to know
Dr Charity Mutegi, a food safety expert, during her interview with Nation. She explained what aflatoxins are and their effect on human health.
The word ‘aflatoxin’ has often been associated with contamination of maize, especially in Eastern Kenya. Additionally, many people often associate this poison with green colour, occasioned by rotting grains, foul smell and bitter taste. Nation’s Rachel Kibui spoke to Dr Charity Mutegi, a food scientist and currently consulting at EU-Markup Kenya, on understanding aflatoxins.
What is aflatoxin in simplified terms?
Aflatoxin is a natural poison that is produced by a group of fungi which is commonly referred to as aspergillus. The most common fungus that produces aflatoxin is called aspergillus flavus.
This poison is not visible to the eye, you cannot taste it and so it is not the green or black colour that people keep referring to. So, if you see discolouration in your peanuts or maize or whatever crop commodity, do not confuse it [with aflatoxin]. That is an indication of the fungus but not the poison.
Why is aflatoxin an issue of concern, particularly in Kenya?
It is because it has a devastating effect on people’s health as well as food availability. Some of the common food crops which are affected by aflatoxins include maize, which is Kenya’s staple, as well as peanuts. It is also found in products that are made from these food commodities like flour and peanut butter. Additionally, aflatoxins gets into the dairy products by animals feeding on contaminated produce or when a cow, for example, eats feed that is contaminated with aflatoxins. The cow will consume, and when you drink [its] milk, you also get aflatoxins.
Of concern also is young children who feed on diets that are also contaminated with aflatoxins. Children can get it through mother-to-child transmission. Unfortunately it starts as early as when they are in the womb and also gets to the children through breastfeeding.
Baby weaning foods are also sometimes contaminated and pass the same to young children, putting their health at risk.
Farmers from Busia during a recent training on control and management of aflatoxins.
What are some of the effects of aflatoxin?
In children it can cause stunting because the impact could end up to be long term. Acute poisoning, that is when you eat copious amounts of the toxins, results to instant death.
Symptoms of infection include jaundice, which is a physical manifestation that some of the organs like the kidney and the liver are not functioning properly. Vomiting, a distended stomach and pulmonary oedema are other common symptoms.
What is of greater concern, and what many Kenyans are suffering from, is what we call chronic exposure, and that is when you and I consume sub-lethal doses or doses that are not really safe but will not cause immediate death because they also have chronic implications. This is what results in liver cancer.
Chronic exposure also causes immune suppression which opens an avenue for development of many other health complications in both children and adults.
You have been working with Markup Kenya on food safety matters, tell us about it
The European Union-funded Market Access Upgrade Programme (Markup) Kenya seeks to enhance food safety and market access for selected Kenyan produce locally, regionally and internationally. The programme is implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (Unido) in partnership with the government and private sector.
Through the programme, we have trained 15 master trainers drawn from food control regulatory agencies. The master trainers will build capacity within their respective agencies and train a range of stakeholders including select producers, extension agents, traders and regulators.
Last month, about 300 groundnuts farmers from Homa Bay, Siaya and Busia were trained on aflatoxins control and management.
Among other activities is the currently ongoing three-month campaign to create awareness on aflatoxins control and management.
