Pyrrolizidine alkaloid contamination of food in Africa: A review of current trends and implications
Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) contamination of foodstuffs has become a topical issue in recent years on account of its potential hepatotoxicity to consumers. This review therefore highlights human exposure to PAs across Africa, focusing on their occurrence, current trends of food contamination, and...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Heliyon |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024000860 |
| _version_ | 1797336912578478080 |
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| author | Emmanuel Letsyo Felix Kwashie Madilo Liticia Effah-Manu |
| author_facet | Emmanuel Letsyo Felix Kwashie Madilo Liticia Effah-Manu |
| author_sort | Emmanuel Letsyo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) contamination of foodstuffs has become a topical issue in recent years on account of its potential hepatotoxicity to consumers. This review therefore highlights human exposure to PAs across Africa, focusing on their occurrence, current trends of food contamination, and their associated health implications. A comprehensive search of peer-scientific literature and relevant databases, PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Web of Science and Scopus, was conducted from 2001 to 2023 focusing mainly on foodstuffs, including grains, herbs, teas, honey, and livestock products. The findings revealed that PA contamination is a prevalent issue in several African countries, with the primary sources of contamination attributed to the consumption of honey and the use of PA plants as herbs in food preparations. Additionally, poor farming practices have been found to influence the presence and levels of PAs in foodstuffs. To mitigate PA contamination in food and safeguarding public health across the continent, several strategies are proposed, including the implementation of stringent regulatory and quality control measures, adoption of Good Agricultural Practices, and public awareness campaigns to educate producers, consumers and beekeepers about the risks associated with PA-contaminated food products. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T09:01:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b38d666216aa47628917948bc0ea997b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2405-8440 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T09:01:47Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heliyon |
| spelling | doaj.art-b38d666216aa47628917948bc0ea997b2024-02-01T06:34:31ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402024-01-01101e24055Pyrrolizidine alkaloid contamination of food in Africa: A review of current trends and implicationsEmmanuel Letsyo0Felix Kwashie Madilo1Liticia Effah-Manu2Corresponding author.; Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology, Ho Technical University, P.O Box HP 217, Ho, GhanaDepartment of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology, Ho Technical University, P.O Box HP 217, Ho, GhanaDepartment of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology, Ho Technical University, P.O Box HP 217, Ho, GhanaPyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) contamination of foodstuffs has become a topical issue in recent years on account of its potential hepatotoxicity to consumers. This review therefore highlights human exposure to PAs across Africa, focusing on their occurrence, current trends of food contamination, and their associated health implications. A comprehensive search of peer-scientific literature and relevant databases, PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Web of Science and Scopus, was conducted from 2001 to 2023 focusing mainly on foodstuffs, including grains, herbs, teas, honey, and livestock products. The findings revealed that PA contamination is a prevalent issue in several African countries, with the primary sources of contamination attributed to the consumption of honey and the use of PA plants as herbs in food preparations. Additionally, poor farming practices have been found to influence the presence and levels of PAs in foodstuffs. To mitigate PA contamination in food and safeguarding public health across the continent, several strategies are proposed, including the implementation of stringent regulatory and quality control measures, adoption of Good Agricultural Practices, and public awareness campaigns to educate producers, consumers and beekeepers about the risks associated with PA-contaminated food products.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024000860AfricaPyrrolizidine alkaloidFood contaminationFood safetyToxicityHoney |
| spellingShingle | Emmanuel Letsyo Felix Kwashie Madilo Liticia Effah-Manu Pyrrolizidine alkaloid contamination of food in Africa: A review of current trends and implications Heliyon Africa Pyrrolizidine alkaloid Food contamination Food safety Toxicity Honey |
| title | Pyrrolizidine alkaloid contamination of food in Africa: A review of current trends and implications |
| title_full | Pyrrolizidine alkaloid contamination of food in Africa: A review of current trends and implications |
| title_fullStr | Pyrrolizidine alkaloid contamination of food in Africa: A review of current trends and implications |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pyrrolizidine alkaloid contamination of food in Africa: A review of current trends and implications |
| title_short | Pyrrolizidine alkaloid contamination of food in Africa: A review of current trends and implications |
| title_sort | pyrrolizidine alkaloid contamination of food in africa a review of current trends and implications |
| topic | Africa Pyrrolizidine alkaloid Food contamination Food safety Toxicity Honey |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024000860 |
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