Assessment of pre-harvest aflatoxin and fumonisin contamination of maize in Babati District, Tanzania

A survey was conducted in 2013 to establish total aflatoxin and total fumonisin in maize, as well as farmers’ practices relating to maize cultivation and awareness of mycotoxins, in three villages of Babati District, northern Tanzania. Quantification of total aflatoxin and fumonisin was done using e...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Nyangi, C., Beed, Fenton D., Mugula, J.K., Boni, S., Koyano, E., Mahuku, George S., Sulyok, M., Bekunda, Mateete A.
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development 2016
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/76536
_version_ 1855543212757745664
author Nyangi, C.
Beed, Fenton D.
Mugula, J.K.
Boni, S.
Koyano, E.
Mahuku, George S.
Sulyok, M.
Bekunda, Mateete A.
author_browse Beed, Fenton D.
Bekunda, Mateete A.
Boni, S.
Koyano, E.
Mahuku, George S.
Mugula, J.K.
Nyangi, C.
Sulyok, M.
author_facet Nyangi, C.
Beed, Fenton D.
Mugula, J.K.
Boni, S.
Koyano, E.
Mahuku, George S.
Sulyok, M.
Bekunda, Mateete A.
author_sort Nyangi, C.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description A survey was conducted in 2013 to establish total aflatoxin and total fumonisin in maize, as well as farmers’ practices relating to maize cultivation and awareness of mycotoxins, in three villages of Babati District, northern Tanzania. Quantification of total aflatoxin and fumonisin was done using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Reveal AccuScan® Neogen, USA) and the results were confirmed using Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometer. The mean aflatoxin was 2.94 µg/kg and all samples (n=440) were within the East African Community (EAC) standard of 10 µg/kg for total aflatoxin, but the mean fumonisin was 5.15 mg/kg, more than double the EAC standard of 2 mg/kg, and 35% of samples exceeded this standard. Maize samples obtained from farmers in the village in the mid altitude, dry zone had significantly higher mean aflatoxin (3.32 µg/kg) and significantly lower mean fumonisin (3.17 mg/kg) than maize from the other two villages (in the high and mid altitude, high rainfall zones). Most farmers (n=442) were male (72%), educated to primary school level (77%) and aware of mycotoxins (62%). As well as participating in a development program, Africa Research in Sustainable Intensification for the Next Generation, most (86%) farmers had experience of working with other development programs. All farmers used flat planting, most used improved seeds (98%), ox ploughing (78%), insecticides (78%) and early planting (36%). Practices associated with mycotoxins were planting time, tillage methods, previous season planted crops, and use of insecticides. Awareness of mycotoxins and climatic conditions were also associated with mycotoxin prevalence. In conclusion, good practices are associated with acceptable aflatoxin levels and should be continued. However, the high level of fumonisins warrants further investigation.
format Journal Article
id CGSpace76536
institution CGIAR Consortium
language Inglés
publishDate 2016
publishDateRange 2016
publishDateSort 2016
publisher African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development
publisherStr African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development
record_format dspace
spelling CGSpace765362024-04-25T06:02:00Z Assessment of pre-harvest aflatoxin and fumonisin contamination of maize in Babati District, Tanzania Nyangi, C. Beed, Fenton D. Mugula, J.K. Boni, S. Koyano, E. Mahuku, George S. Sulyok, M. Bekunda, Mateete A. aflatoxins maize food safety A survey was conducted in 2013 to establish total aflatoxin and total fumonisin in maize, as well as farmers’ practices relating to maize cultivation and awareness of mycotoxins, in three villages of Babati District, northern Tanzania. Quantification of total aflatoxin and fumonisin was done using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Reveal AccuScan® Neogen, USA) and the results were confirmed using Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometer. The mean aflatoxin was 2.94 µg/kg and all samples (n=440) were within the East African Community (EAC) standard of 10 µg/kg for total aflatoxin, but the mean fumonisin was 5.15 mg/kg, more than double the EAC standard of 2 mg/kg, and 35% of samples exceeded this standard. Maize samples obtained from farmers in the village in the mid altitude, dry zone had significantly higher mean aflatoxin (3.32 µg/kg) and significantly lower mean fumonisin (3.17 mg/kg) than maize from the other two villages (in the high and mid altitude, high rainfall zones). Most farmers (n=442) were male (72%), educated to primary school level (77%) and aware of mycotoxins (62%). As well as participating in a development program, Africa Research in Sustainable Intensification for the Next Generation, most (86%) farmers had experience of working with other development programs. All farmers used flat planting, most used improved seeds (98%), ox ploughing (78%), insecticides (78%) and early planting (36%). Practices associated with mycotoxins were planting time, tillage methods, previous season planted crops, and use of insecticides. Awareness of mycotoxins and climatic conditions were also associated with mycotoxin prevalence. In conclusion, good practices are associated with acceptable aflatoxin levels and should be continued. However, the high level of fumonisins warrants further investigation. 2016-07-30 2016-08-23T06:42:44Z 2016-08-23T06:42:44Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/76536 en Open Access African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development Nyangi, C., Beed, F. , Mugula, J.K., Boni, S., Koyano, E., Mahuku, G., Sulyok, M. and Bekunda, M. 2016. Assessment of pre-harvest aflatoxin and fumonisin contamination of maize in Babati District, Tanzania. African Journal of Food Agriculture, Nutrition and Development 16(3):11039-11053.
spellingShingle aflatoxins
maize
food safety
Nyangi, C.
Beed, Fenton D.
Mugula, J.K.
Boni, S.
Koyano, E.
Mahuku, George S.
Sulyok, M.
Bekunda, Mateete A.
Assessment of pre-harvest aflatoxin and fumonisin contamination of maize in Babati District, Tanzania
title Assessment of pre-harvest aflatoxin and fumonisin contamination of maize in Babati District, Tanzania
title_full Assessment of pre-harvest aflatoxin and fumonisin contamination of maize in Babati District, Tanzania
title_fullStr Assessment of pre-harvest aflatoxin and fumonisin contamination of maize in Babati District, Tanzania
title_full_unstemmed Assessment of pre-harvest aflatoxin and fumonisin contamination of maize in Babati District, Tanzania
title_short Assessment of pre-harvest aflatoxin and fumonisin contamination of maize in Babati District, Tanzania
title_sort assessment of pre harvest aflatoxin and fumonisin contamination of maize in babati district tanzania
topic aflatoxins
maize
food safety
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/76536
work_keys_str_mv AT nyangic assessmentofpreharvestaflatoxinandfumonisincontaminationofmaizeinbabatidistricttanzania
AT beedfentond assessmentofpreharvestaflatoxinandfumonisincontaminationofmaizeinbabatidistricttanzania
AT mugulajk assessmentofpreharvestaflatoxinandfumonisincontaminationofmaizeinbabatidistricttanzania
AT bonis assessmentofpreharvestaflatoxinandfumonisincontaminationofmaizeinbabatidistricttanzania
AT koyanoe assessmentofpreharvestaflatoxinandfumonisincontaminationofmaizeinbabatidistricttanzania
AT mahukugeorges assessmentofpreharvestaflatoxinandfumonisincontaminationofmaizeinbabatidistricttanzania
AT sulyokm assessmentofpreharvestaflatoxinandfumonisincontaminationofmaizeinbabatidistricttanzania
AT bekundamateetea assessmentofpreharvestaflatoxinandfumonisincontaminationofmaizeinbabatidistricttanzania