Multi-spectral kernel sorting to reduce aflatoxins and fumonisins in Kenyan maize

Maize, a staple food in many African countries including Kenya, is often contaminated by toxic and carcinogenic fungal secondary metabolites such as aflatoxins and fumonisins. This study evaluated the potential use of a low-cost, multi-spectral sorter in identification and removal of aflatoxin- and...

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Autores principales: Stasiewicz, Matthew, Falade, Titilayo D.O., Mutuma, M., Mutiga, Samuel K., Harvey, Jagger J.W., Fox, Glen P., Pearson, T.C., Muthomi, J.W., Nelson, Rebecca
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Elsevier 2017
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/80020
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author Stasiewicz, Matthew
Falade, Titilayo D.O.
Mutuma, M.
Mutiga, Samuel K.
Harvey, Jagger J.W.
Fox, Glen P.
Pearson, T.C.
Muthomi, J.W.
Nelson, Rebecca
author_browse Falade, Titilayo D.O.
Fox, Glen P.
Harvey, Jagger J.W.
Muthomi, J.W.
Mutiga, Samuel K.
Mutuma, M.
Nelson, Rebecca
Pearson, T.C.
Stasiewicz, Matthew
author_facet Stasiewicz, Matthew
Falade, Titilayo D.O.
Mutuma, M.
Mutiga, Samuel K.
Harvey, Jagger J.W.
Fox, Glen P.
Pearson, T.C.
Muthomi, J.W.
Nelson, Rebecca
author_sort Stasiewicz, Matthew
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Maize, a staple food in many African countries including Kenya, is often contaminated by toxic and carcinogenic fungal secondary metabolites such as aflatoxins and fumonisins. This study evaluated the potential use of a low-cost, multi-spectral sorter in identification and removal of aflatoxin- and fumonisin-contaminated single kernels from a bulk of mature maize kernels. The machine was calibrated by building a mathematical model relating reflectance at nine distinct wavelengths (470–1550 nm) to mycotoxin levels of single kernels collected from small-scale maize traders in open-air markets and from inoculated maize field trials in Eastern Kenya. Due to the expected skewed distribution of mycotoxin contamination, visual assessment of putative risk factors such as discoloration, moldiness, breakage, and fluorescence under ultra-violet light (365 nm), was used to enrich for mycotoxin-positive kernels used for calibration. Discriminant analysis calibration using both infrared and visible spectra achieved 77% sensitivity and 83% specificity to identify kernels with aflatoxin >10 ng g−1 and fumonisin >1000 ng g−1, respectively (measured by ELISA or UHPLC). In subsequent sorting of 46 market maize samples previously tested for mycotoxins, 0–25% of sample mass was rejected from samples that previously tested toxin-positive and 0–1% was rejected for previously toxin-negative samples. In most cases where mycotoxins were detected in sorted maize streams, accepted maize had lower mycotoxin levels than the rejected maize (21/25 accepted maize streams had lower aflatoxin than rejected streams, 25/27 accepted maize streams had lower fumonisin than rejected streams). Reduction was statistically significant (p < 0.001), achieving an 83% mean reduction in each toxin. With further development, this technology could be used to sort maize at local hammer mills to reduce human mycotoxin exposure in Kenya, and elsewhere in the world, while at once reducing food loss, and improving food safety and nutritional status.
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spelling CGSpace800202024-08-29T11:41:37Z Multi-spectral kernel sorting to reduce aflatoxins and fumonisins in Kenyan maize Stasiewicz, Matthew Falade, Titilayo D.O. Mutuma, M. Mutiga, Samuel K. Harvey, Jagger J.W. Fox, Glen P. Pearson, T.C. Muthomi, J.W. Nelson, Rebecca aflatoxins food safety health Maize, a staple food in many African countries including Kenya, is often contaminated by toxic and carcinogenic fungal secondary metabolites such as aflatoxins and fumonisins. This study evaluated the potential use of a low-cost, multi-spectral sorter in identification and removal of aflatoxin- and fumonisin-contaminated single kernels from a bulk of mature maize kernels. The machine was calibrated by building a mathematical model relating reflectance at nine distinct wavelengths (470–1550 nm) to mycotoxin levels of single kernels collected from small-scale maize traders in open-air markets and from inoculated maize field trials in Eastern Kenya. Due to the expected skewed distribution of mycotoxin contamination, visual assessment of putative risk factors such as discoloration, moldiness, breakage, and fluorescence under ultra-violet light (365 nm), was used to enrich for mycotoxin-positive kernels used for calibration. Discriminant analysis calibration using both infrared and visible spectra achieved 77% sensitivity and 83% specificity to identify kernels with aflatoxin >10 ng g−1 and fumonisin >1000 ng g−1, respectively (measured by ELISA or UHPLC). In subsequent sorting of 46 market maize samples previously tested for mycotoxins, 0–25% of sample mass was rejected from samples that previously tested toxin-positive and 0–1% was rejected for previously toxin-negative samples. In most cases where mycotoxins were detected in sorted maize streams, accepted maize had lower mycotoxin levels than the rejected maize (21/25 accepted maize streams had lower aflatoxin than rejected streams, 25/27 accepted maize streams had lower fumonisin than rejected streams). Reduction was statistically significant (p < 0.001), achieving an 83% mean reduction in each toxin. With further development, this technology could be used to sort maize at local hammer mills to reduce human mycotoxin exposure in Kenya, and elsewhere in the world, while at once reducing food loss, and improving food safety and nutritional status. 2017-08 2017-02-28T07:35:08Z 2017-02-28T07:35:08Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/80020 en Limited Access Elsevier Stasiewicz, M.J., Falade, T.D.O., Mutuma, M., Mutiga, S.K., Harvey, J.J.W., Fox, G., Pearson, T.C., Muthomi, J.W. and Nelson, R.J. 2017. Multi-spectral kernel sorting to reduce aflatoxins and fumonisins in Kenyan maize. Food Control 78:203–214.
spellingShingle aflatoxins
food safety
health
Stasiewicz, Matthew
Falade, Titilayo D.O.
Mutuma, M.
Mutiga, Samuel K.
Harvey, Jagger J.W.
Fox, Glen P.
Pearson, T.C.
Muthomi, J.W.
Nelson, Rebecca
Multi-spectral kernel sorting to reduce aflatoxins and fumonisins in Kenyan maize
title Multi-spectral kernel sorting to reduce aflatoxins and fumonisins in Kenyan maize
title_full Multi-spectral kernel sorting to reduce aflatoxins and fumonisins in Kenyan maize
title_fullStr Multi-spectral kernel sorting to reduce aflatoxins and fumonisins in Kenyan maize
title_full_unstemmed Multi-spectral kernel sorting to reduce aflatoxins and fumonisins in Kenyan maize
title_short Multi-spectral kernel sorting to reduce aflatoxins and fumonisins in Kenyan maize
title_sort multi spectral kernel sorting to reduce aflatoxins and fumonisins in kenyan maize
topic aflatoxins
food safety
health
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/80020
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