Prevalence of aflatoxin, ochratoxin and deoxynivalenol in cereal grains in northern Uganda: Implication for food safety and health
Mycotoxin contamination of cereals is a significant health risk for humans and animals, particularly in developing countries. To gain insight into food safety related to agricultural practices, we assessed levels of mycotoxin contamination in 105 samples of food grains raised and stored for consumpt...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2019-01-01
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| Series: | Toxicology Reports |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214750018302610 |
| _version_ | 1818158898579767296 |
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| author | Richard Echodu Geoffrey Maxwell Malinga Joyce Moriku Kaducu Emilio Ovuga Geert Haesaert |
| author_facet | Richard Echodu Geoffrey Maxwell Malinga Joyce Moriku Kaducu Emilio Ovuga Geert Haesaert |
| author_sort | Richard Echodu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Mycotoxin contamination of cereals is a significant health risk for humans and animals, particularly in developing countries. To gain insight into food safety related to agricultural practices, we assessed levels of mycotoxin contamination in 105 samples of food grains raised and stored for consumption by rural households in the post-conflict districts of Kitgum and Lamwo in Northern Uganda. Aflatoxin, ochratoxin and deoxynivalenol (DON) contamination was assessed by quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Total aflatoxin in the foods analyzed varied from nd (not detected) to 68.2 μg/Kg. Ochratoxin ranged from 0.1 to 16.4 μg/Kg. DON ranged from nd to 2606 μg/Kg. The mean concentration of total aflatoxins was significantly higher (P = 0.002) in sorghum than in millet, maize and sesame seeds. Frequency of co-occurrence of two mycotoxins ranged from 8.3 to 100%, with the highest being aflatoxin and ochratoxin in sorghum. Co-occurrence of all three mycotoxins ranged from 8.3 to 35.3%, with the highest again being in sorghum. Mean levels of aflatoxins concentration in sorghum samples were 11.8 μg/Kg, exceeding the Ugandan national regulatory limits of 10 μg/Kg. Furthermore, 46.5% of the sorghum consumed in both districts exceeded this limit, and 86.1% of sorghum samples exceeded the European Union (E.U.) maximum tolerable limit of 4 μg/Kg. The Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) and Hazard Indices (HI) values were in the range of 1.2 × 10−5–91.521 and 1.3 × 10−7 to 0.0059, respectively. In conclusion, our results provide evidence of high levels of mycotoxin contamination and co-occurrence in food grains in Northern Uganda with aflatoxins and ochratoxins at high levels in all the cereal types analyzed. Consumption of cereals cultivated in this region poses no health risk of mycotoxins exposure since HI values obtained were less than 1. Keywords: Aflatoxin, Ochratoxin, Deoxynivalenol, Food grains, Food safety, Uganda |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T15:37:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-052b2785a8d44914bcf6d434fdec2eff |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2214-7500 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T15:37:24Z |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Toxicology Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-052b2785a8d44914bcf6d434fdec2eff2022-12-22T00:59:54ZengElsevierToxicology Reports2214-75002019-01-01610121017Prevalence of aflatoxin, ochratoxin and deoxynivalenol in cereal grains in northern Uganda: Implication for food safety and healthRichard Echodu0Geoffrey Maxwell Malinga1Joyce Moriku Kaducu2Emilio Ovuga3Geert Haesaert4Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Gulu University, P.O. Box 166, Gulu, Uganda; Gulu University Bioscience Research Laboratories, P.O. Box 166, Gulu, Uganda; Corresponding author at: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Gulu University, P. O. Box 166, Gulu, Uganda.Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Gulu University, P.O. Box 166, Gulu, Uganda; Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Forestry, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 111, 80101 Joensuu, FinlandDepartment of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University, P.O. Box 166, Gulu, UgandaDepartment of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University, P.O. Box 166, Gulu, UgandaDepartment of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, BelgiumMycotoxin contamination of cereals is a significant health risk for humans and animals, particularly in developing countries. To gain insight into food safety related to agricultural practices, we assessed levels of mycotoxin contamination in 105 samples of food grains raised and stored for consumption by rural households in the post-conflict districts of Kitgum and Lamwo in Northern Uganda. Aflatoxin, ochratoxin and deoxynivalenol (DON) contamination was assessed by quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Total aflatoxin in the foods analyzed varied from nd (not detected) to 68.2 μg/Kg. Ochratoxin ranged from 0.1 to 16.4 μg/Kg. DON ranged from nd to 2606 μg/Kg. The mean concentration of total aflatoxins was significantly higher (P = 0.002) in sorghum than in millet, maize and sesame seeds. Frequency of co-occurrence of two mycotoxins ranged from 8.3 to 100%, with the highest being aflatoxin and ochratoxin in sorghum. Co-occurrence of all three mycotoxins ranged from 8.3 to 35.3%, with the highest again being in sorghum. Mean levels of aflatoxins concentration in sorghum samples were 11.8 μg/Kg, exceeding the Ugandan national regulatory limits of 10 μg/Kg. Furthermore, 46.5% of the sorghum consumed in both districts exceeded this limit, and 86.1% of sorghum samples exceeded the European Union (E.U.) maximum tolerable limit of 4 μg/Kg. The Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) and Hazard Indices (HI) values were in the range of 1.2 × 10−5–91.521 and 1.3 × 10−7 to 0.0059, respectively. In conclusion, our results provide evidence of high levels of mycotoxin contamination and co-occurrence in food grains in Northern Uganda with aflatoxins and ochratoxins at high levels in all the cereal types analyzed. Consumption of cereals cultivated in this region poses no health risk of mycotoxins exposure since HI values obtained were less than 1. Keywords: Aflatoxin, Ochratoxin, Deoxynivalenol, Food grains, Food safety, Ugandahttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214750018302610 |
| spellingShingle | Richard Echodu Geoffrey Maxwell Malinga Joyce Moriku Kaducu Emilio Ovuga Geert Haesaert Prevalence of aflatoxin, ochratoxin and deoxynivalenol in cereal grains in northern Uganda: Implication for food safety and health Toxicology Reports |
| title | Prevalence of aflatoxin, ochratoxin and deoxynivalenol in cereal grains in northern Uganda: Implication for food safety and health |
| title_full | Prevalence of aflatoxin, ochratoxin and deoxynivalenol in cereal grains in northern Uganda: Implication for food safety and health |
| title_fullStr | Prevalence of aflatoxin, ochratoxin and deoxynivalenol in cereal grains in northern Uganda: Implication for food safety and health |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prevalence of aflatoxin, ochratoxin and deoxynivalenol in cereal grains in northern Uganda: Implication for food safety and health |
| title_short | Prevalence of aflatoxin, ochratoxin and deoxynivalenol in cereal grains in northern Uganda: Implication for food safety and health |
| title_sort | prevalence of aflatoxin ochratoxin and deoxynivalenol in cereal grains in northern uganda implication for food safety and health |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214750018302610 |
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