Aflatoxins: serious threat to food safety and food security But is it related to livestock? Johanna LindahlI, Jagger HarveyB and Delia GraceI I: Interna9onal Livestock Research Ins9tute(ILRI). B: Biosciences eastern and central Africa (BecA)-‐ILRI Hub
Aflatoxins are hepatotoxic, carcinogenic and immunosuppressing metabolites produced by moulds, mainly Aspergillus flavus, growing on maize or other crops. Humans and animals can get acute disease with fatali=es as well as chronic disease. • Aflatoxins are invisible, tasteless and odourless, and can be present in a wide variety of crops • When animals eat the toxin they can get sick, and they are less produc=ve, thus producing less food and income for farmers • Aflatoxins are metabolized by the animals, and a small part of the metabolites is present in animal source foods
Mapping the current knowledge, dissemina9on knowledge • Literature reviews and mapping • Studies on knowledge, aCtudes and prac=ces • Policy briefs for knowledge dissemina=on and policy recommenda=ons
Johanna Lindahl [email protected] ● P.O. Box 30709-‐00100 Nairobi Kenya ● +254 20 422 3000 hVp://aghealth.wordpress.com ● www.ilri.org Acknowledgements: The CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutri=on and Health (A4NH) and the Interna=onal Livestock Research Ins=tute (ILRI) Funding: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, MTT
This document is licensed for use under a Crea=ve Commons AVribu=on –Non commercial-‐Share Alike 3.0 Unported License September 2014
Maize drying and cow milking in Uganda September 2014
Introduc=on
Our research approach and ques=ons
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Corn/feed produced at farm
Corn/feed purchased
Milk produced at farm
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Treatments
How much is aflatoxin cos=ng the farmers in terms of decreased
produc=on in animals?
How much of different crops are being consumed by different members in
a household?
What are the levels of aflatoxins in the crop in the
farm?
What are the levels of aflatoxin in
marketed crops and animal feeds?
How much milk is being consumed and
which family members are at
most risk?
What are the levels of aflatoxins in milk?
Addressing the knowledge gaps • Risk assessment for human health • Economic assessment of the impact • Consumer percep=ons and willingness to pay • Improved detec=on methods • Improved risk mapping and forecasts
What are the risks for
humans and animals?
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