Stemming Aflatoxin pre- and post-harvest waste in the groundnut value chain (GnVC) in Malawi and Zambia

to improve food and nutrition security in the smallholder farming families.

pag. 2

Acute Microbiological Phycotoxins Some phytotoxins Mycotoxins

Anthropogenic contaminants Pesticide residues Food additives

High

Low

Kuiper-Goodman,1998 pag. 3

Rating health risks from foods - acute

High

Low

Chronic Mycotoxins

Anthropogenic contaminants Some phytotoxins Unbalanced diet Phycotoxins Food additives Pesticide residues Microbiological

Kuiper-Goodman,1998 pag. 4

Rating health risks from foods - chronic

Acute

Microbiological

Phycotoxins

Some phytotoxins

Mycotoxins

Anthropogenic contaminants

Pesticide residues

Food additives

High

Low

Chronic Mycotoxins

Anthropogenic contaminants Some phytotoxins Unbalanced diet Phycotoxins Food additives Pesticide residues Microbiological

Kuiper - Goodman, 1998 pag. 5

Mycotoxins: important food contaminants

Mycotoxin/Aflatoxins: What are they?

Fusaríum sp.

Aspergillus sp.

Penicillium sp.

Alternaria sp.

Claviceps sp.

• secondary fungal metabolites

• biological function: “weapons” against hosts and competitors

• > 400 mycotoxins are known today

• Cause an array of health effects

pag. 7

Mycotoxins: important food contaminants

Aflatoxins....

Environment (Temp., humidity/moisture, insect damage…)

Host (almost any kind of food)Fungi

Contamination

pag. 9

Mycotoxins: biosynthesis

Change in temperature due to climate change according to the IPCC (2007) report.

Developed world sub-Saharan Africa

pag. 11

Control possible?

Poor handling practices

pag. 13

Do we have the luxury to throw away?

Export - OK

SURVEY [n = 140, various food commodities - HPLC-FLD (Malawi)]

EU legislation

Consumed locally

Matumba et al 2015. Food Control,51, 236-239.

Import- OK

ag. 16

Impact of regulations on local consumers

The need for Forex

High

Low

pag. 18

Contributing to stunting?

Stemming Aflatoxin pre- and post-harvest waste in the groundnut value chain (GnVC) in Malawi and Zambia

to improve food and nutrition security in the smallholder farming families.

OUR INTERVENTION

1) To assess, validate and further develop promising pre and post harvest technologies

2) Document and disseminate successfully tested practices

3) To advocate for conducive national and regional policies and regulatory frameworks for stemming Aflatoxin

Research Foci

Evaluation of the effect of residue incorporation on pre-harvest aflatoxin contamination

Evaluation of effect of number of rows per ridge on aflatoxin contamination

Evaluation of the effect Mandela cork drying method on aflatoxin contamination

Evaluation of kennel sizing and Hand sorting on partitioning aflatoxin into various shelled groundnut grade sizes

Evaluation of effect of tie/box

Double row vs Single row

Yield

Mean difference =0.8±0.2 (M±E), P<0.001

Pod Mass

Mean difference =0.3±0.05 (M±E),P<0.001

Percentage of mature pods

Mean difference =7.7±3.3 (M±E), P=0.028

Aflatoxin content

Mean difference=2.5±25.7 (M±E), P=0.922

Residual Effect?

• By hand• Not deep• What's the

effect?

Mould prevalence

Mean difference =19.3±4.4 (M±E), P<0.001

Insect damage

Mean difference =19.3±4.4 (M±E), P<0.001

Aflatoxin

Mean difference=19.4±18.6 (M±E), P=0.302

Limitation of the study

Effect of drying not elucidated!

The Mandela cork drying..

• Introduced in Zambia and Malawi > 10yrs ago

• Unpopular amongst farmers• Reason include:

– Livestock destruction – Arson– Theft

• Farmer led evaluation of its efficacy in reducing aflatoxin in progress

EFFECTIVE HAND SORTING: REDUCING AFLATOXINS

Financially supported by the European Union through a PEAPARD Project ‘Stemming Aflatoxin pre- and post-harvest waste in the groundnut value chain (GnVC)’