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Nji QN, Babalola OO, Ekwomadu TI, Nleya N, Mwanza M. Six Main Contributing Factors to High Levels of Mycotoxin Contamination in African Foods. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:318. [PMID: 35622564 PMCID: PMC9146326 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14050318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 04/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Africa is one of the regions with high mycotoxin contamination of foods and continues to record high incidences of liver cancers globally. The agricultural sector of most African countries depends largely on climate variables for crop production. Production of mycotoxins is climate-sensitive. Most stakeholders in the food production chain in Africa are not aware of the health and economic effects of consuming contaminated foods. The aim of this review is to evaluate the main factors and their degree of contribution to the high levels of mycotoxins in African foods. Thus, knowledge of the contributions of different factors responsible for high levels of these toxins will be a good starting point for the effective mitigation of mycotoxins in Africa. Google Scholar was used to conduct a systemic search. Six factors were found to be linked to high levels of mycotoxins in African foods, in varying degrees. Climate change remains the main driving factor in the production of mycotoxins. The other factors are partly man-made and can be manipulated to become a more profitable or less climate-sensitive response. Awareness of the existence of these mycotoxins and their economic as well as health consequences remains paramount. The degree of management of these factors regarding mycotoxins varies from one region of the world to another.
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Affiliation(s)
- Queenta Ngum Nji
- Food Security and Safety Focus Area, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X2046, Mmabatho 2735, South Africa; (Q.N.N.); (T.I.E.); (N.N.); (M.M.)
| | - Olubukola Oluranti Babalola
- Food Security and Safety Focus Area, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X2046, Mmabatho 2735, South Africa; (Q.N.N.); (T.I.E.); (N.N.); (M.M.)
| | - Theodora Ijeoma Ekwomadu
- Food Security and Safety Focus Area, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X2046, Mmabatho 2735, South Africa; (Q.N.N.); (T.I.E.); (N.N.); (M.M.)
- Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X2046, Mmabatho 2735, South Africa
| | - Nancy Nleya
- Food Security and Safety Focus Area, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X2046, Mmabatho 2735, South Africa; (Q.N.N.); (T.I.E.); (N.N.); (M.M.)
- Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X2046, Mmabatho 2735, South Africa
| | - Mulunda Mwanza
- Food Security and Safety Focus Area, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X2046, Mmabatho 2735, South Africa; (Q.N.N.); (T.I.E.); (N.N.); (M.M.)
- Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X2046, Mmabatho 2735, South Africa
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Okello JJ, Swanckaert J, Martin-Collado D, Santos B, Yada B, Mwanga ROM, Schurink A, Quinn M, Thiele G, Heck S, Byrne TJ, Hareau GG, Campos H. Market Intelligence and Incentive-Based Trait Ranking for Plant Breeding: A Sweetpotato Pilot in Uganda. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:808597. [PMID: 35317017 PMCID: PMC8934386 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.808597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Crop breeding programs must accelerate crop improvement, spur widespread adoption of new varieties and increase variety turnover they are to meet the diverse needs of their clients. More comprehensive quantitative approaches are needed to better inform breeding programs about the preferred traits among farmers and other actors. However, the ability of current breeding programs to meet the demands of their clients is limited by the lack of insights about value chain actor preference for individual or packages of traits. Ranking traits based on monetary incentives, rather than subjective values, represents a more comprehensive, consistent, and quantitative approach to inform breeding programs. We conducted a large pilot in Uganda to assess the implementation of a novel approach to trait ranking, using a uniquely large sample of diverse sweetpotato value chain actors. We found meaningful differences in trait ranking and heterogeneity among different actors using this approach. We also show our approach's effectiveness at uncovering unmet demand for root quality traits and at characterizing the substantial trait demand heterogeneity among value chain players. Implementing this approach more broadly for sweetpotato and other crops would increase the effectiveness of breeding programs to improve food security in developing countries.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Daniel Martin-Collado
- Aragon Agrifood Research and Technology Center [Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón (CITA)], Zaragoza, Spain
| | | | - Benard Yada
- National Crops Resources Research Institute, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | | | - Michael Quinn
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, Texcoco, Mexico
| | | | - Simon Heck
- International Potato Center, Nairobi, Kenya
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Temperature control for high-quality oil-free sweet potato CHIPS produced by microwave rotary drying under vacuum. Lebensm Wiss Technol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lwt.2021.113047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Estimation of nutritional postharvest losses along food value chains: A case study of three key food security commodities in sub-Saharan Africa. Food Secur 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12571-021-01238-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
AbstractPostharvest losses (PHLs) amplify food insecurity and reduce the amount of nutrients available to vulnerable populations, especially in the world's Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs). However, little is known about nutrient loss at the various postharvest stages. The objective of our study was to develop a methodology and a tool to estimate nutritional postharvest losses (NPHLs) along food value chains for three distinct food commodities in sub-Saharan Africa. The study used a combination of literature, laboratory and field data to investigate NPHLs caused by both changes in quantity and quality of food material (quantitative and qualitative NPHLs, respectively). The method can be expanded to various other food value chains. A user-friendly predictive tool was developed for case studies involving maize and cowpea in Zimbabwe, and for sweet potato in Uganda. Quantitative and qualitative NPHLs were combined and converted into predicted nutrient loss and nutritional requirement lost due to postharvest losses. The number of people who may not meet their daily nutritional needs, as a result of the food and nutrient losses at country level, was estimated. The estimates consider nutritionally vulnerable groups such as children under five years and pregnant women. The nutrient density of the harvested food material, the level of food production, the postharvest stages along the food value chain, the levels of pest damage along the value chain, and the susceptibility of the nutrients to degradation e.g. during storage, are all important factors that affect NPHLs. Our modelling work suggests that reducing PHLs along food value chains could significantly improve access to nutritious food for populations in LMICs.
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Okello DM, Aliro T, Odongo W, Ndyomugyenyi EK, Owiny DO. Alone or a combination: Ascertaining factors associated with choice of pig health management strategies amongst smallholder farmers in northern Uganda. Prev Vet Med 2021; 199:105562. [PMID: 34953300 DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2021.105562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Pig production is an important farm enterprise for an increasing number of smallholder farmers due to its potential for improving household incomes. The sector is however faced with high burden of health issues that limit most farmers from realizing the benefits. In order to improve management of pig health for smallholder farmers, an understanding of the major health issues and factors associated with farmers' choice of the pig health management strategies are paramount. Using a cross-sectional survey of 240 smallholder pig farmers in northern Uganda, this study assessed the factors associated with the use of different pig health management practices adopted by smallholder pig farmers. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics and two different regression models. Binary Probit Regression model was used to assess factors associated with the use of a single pig health management strategy, while, Generalized Poisson Regression model was used to assess the factors associated with the number of pig health management strategies used by the farmers. Results showed that the common health issues were African Swine Fever, lice, worms and mange, while the common strategies for health management involved self-administering antibiotics, consulting veterinarians, deworming, spraying with acaricides, selling the sick pigs, treatment with local herbs, and burying dead pigs. These pig health management strategies were influenced by farmers location, experience, age, access to extension, use of information and communication technologies, and use of processed feeds. This study recommends improving farmers' access to relevant information and expanding veterinary extension services by promoting the use of radio and mobile phones in pig health management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Micheal Okello
- Department of Rural Development and Agribusiness, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, Gulu University, P. O. Box, 166, Gulu, Uganda.
| | - Tonny Aliro
- Department of Animal Production and Range Management, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, Gulu University, P. O. Box, 166, Gulu, Uganda.
| | - Walter Odongo
- Department of Rural Development and Agribusiness, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, Gulu University, P. O. Box, 166, Gulu, Uganda.
| | - Elly Kurobuza Ndyomugyenyi
- Department of Animal Production and Range Management, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, Gulu University, P. O. Box, 166, Gulu, Uganda.
| | - David Okello Owiny
- Department of Animal Production and Range Management, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, Gulu University, P. O. Box, 166, Gulu, Uganda.
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Xu F, Baker R, Whitaker T, Luo H, Zhao Y, Stevenson A, Boesch C, Zhang G. Review of good agricultural practices for smallholder maize farmers to minimise aflatoxin contamination. WORLD MYCOTOXIN J 2021. [DOI: 10.3920/wmj2021.2685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Maize is consumed world-wide as staple food, livestock feed, and industrial raw material. However, it is susceptible to fungal attack and at risk of aflatoxin contamination under certain conditions. Such contamination is a serious threat to human and animal health. Ensuring that the maize used by food industry meets standards for aflatoxin levels requires significant investment across the supply chain. Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) form a critical part of a broader, integrated strategy for reduction of aflatoxin contamination. We reviewed and summarised the GAP of maize that would be effective and practicable for aflatoxin control within high-risk regions for smallholder farmers. The suggested practicable GAP for smallholder farmers were: use of drought-tolerant varieties; timely harvesting before physiological maturity; sorting to remove damaged ears and those having poor husk covering; drying properly to 13% moisture content; storage in suitable conditions to keep the crop clean and under condition with minimally proper aeration, or ideally under hermetic conditions. This information is intended to provide guidance for maize growers that will help reduce aflatoxin in high-risk regions, with a specific focus on smallholder farmers. Following the proposed guidelines would contribute to the reduction of aflatoxin contamination during pre-harvest, harvest, and post-harvest stages of the maize value chain.
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Affiliation(s)
- F. Xu
- Mars Global Food Safety Center, 2 Yanqi North Road, Yanqi Economic Development Zone, Huairou, 101407 Beijing, China P.R
| | - R.C. Baker
- Mars Global Food Safety Center, 2 Yanqi North Road, Yanqi Economic Development Zone, Huairou, 101407 Beijing, China P.R
| | - T.B. Whitaker
- North Carolina State University, P.O. Box 7625, Raleigh, NC 27695-7625, USA
| | - H. Luo
- Mars Global Food Safety Center, 2 Yanqi North Road, Yanqi Economic Development Zone, Huairou, 101407 Beijing, China P.R
| | - Y. Zhao
- Mars Global Food Safety Center, 2 Yanqi North Road, Yanqi Economic Development Zone, Huairou, 101407 Beijing, China P.R
| | - A. Stevenson
- Mars Global Food Safety Center, 2 Yanqi North Road, Yanqi Economic Development Zone, Huairou, 101407 Beijing, China P.R
| | - C.J. Boesch
- Food Systems and Food Safety Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Rome, Italy
| | - G. Zhang
- Mars Global Food Safety Center, 2 Yanqi North Road, Yanqi Economic Development Zone, Huairou, 101407 Beijing, China P.R
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