Aflatoxin contamination Aflatoxin contamination of Groundnutof Groundnut

Farid WaliyarPeter Craufurd, T Yellamanda Reddy,

Tim Wheeler, K Subramanyam, A Subramaniam, Balaraju, Gareth McGay, A Brown, R S S Hopper

Aflatoxin contamination Aflatoxin contamination of Groundnutof Groundnut

Introduction Importance of aflatoxin1. Groundnut and other by

products2. Health3. Market Detection of aflatoxins.

InoductionInoduction

Aflatoxins are produced by Aspergillus flavus / A. parasiticus

Efect of aflatoxin on cropsEfect of aflatoxin on crops

Many crops are affected

Maize, Groundnut, Soybean, Cotton, Chili etc..

Can occur at all levels of crop production:– Pre-harvest, harvest, and storage

Effects of Aflatoxin on Effects of Aflatoxin on crops crops (conted)(conted)

Deteriorate qualityOil/groundnut cakeContaminated food / feed can

affect human and animal healthImportant for International trade

Effects of Aflatoxin on Effects of Aflatoxin on crops crops (contd)(contd)

Contamination in haulms– Small pods not collected

Fed to the cattle– Affect animal Health

Haulms/pods– 31% contained >30 μ g/kg (30-3964 μ g/kg)

Aflatoxin in MilkAflatoxin in Milk

MilkCattle fed with contaminated feeds

– Haulms– Groundnut or cotton cakes– Maize

Aflatoxin B1 → M1

– Just as toxic– ELISA test developed (antibodies)

Aflatoxin in MilkAflatoxin in Milk

As the main source of contamination are small pods Aflatoxin M1 can be present in the milk

Milk analyzed from buffaloes fed with haulms/small pods showed 22.5% of samples had >0.5 ng/L of AFM1

Effects of Aflatoxin on Effects of Aflatoxin on healthhealth

Adverse effects on human health and livestock.

Blood tests have shown that very high percentage of the population of several countries in Asia and Africa are exposed to aflatoxins.

Effect of aflatoxin on healthEffect of aflatoxin on healthHuman beings and Livestock

– Cattle– Poultry

Deleterious effects– Teratogenic– Immunosuppressive – Many times enhanced in the presence of

hepatitis B and C viruses. – Carcinogenic

Cancers with Cancers with p53 p53 mutation mutation (NIMS)(NIMS)

LungLiverPancreasColonOvary etc..

The confounding factorsThe confounding factors

Hepatitis B and CMalnutritionAlcoholic liver disease

MarketabilityMarketability

Limiting factor for exports to developed countries

Regulations are stringent– 4 μ g/kg <: EU– None: Japan

Local market and health

Estimation of aflatoxinsEstimation of aflatoxins

– Cost-effective technologies required– DFID-flexibility fund– ELISA for aflatoxin detection was developed

which reduced the estimation cost

Further information and data will be presented later