Aflatoxin B1 Contamination in Chicken Livers and Gizzards from Industrial and Small Abattoirs, Measured by ELISA Technique in Maputo, Mozambique.

Alberto Sineque,Filomena Dos Anjos,Custódia Macuamule

doi:10.3390/ijerph14090951

Alberto Sineque, Filomena Dos Anjos + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14090951

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Abstract

Aflatoxins are the most toxic and carcinogenic mycotoxins produced by Aspergillus species. Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) contamination in industrial and local chicken livers and gizzards in Maputo was investigated. One hundred boiler livers and 80 boiler gizzards were collected from industrial and local cutting poultry production sectors. The samples were analyzed by the ELISA method (MaxSignal®, Bioo Scientific Corporation). AFB1 was found in 39% of liver samples and 13.8% of gizzards, with mean levels of 1.73 µg/kg and 1.07 µg/kg, respectively. The frequency of contamination and AFB1 levels in samples from local sector producers was not significantly higher than those from industrial sector producers (p > 0.05). No correlation was found (p = 0.493; r2 = 0.013) between AFB1 levels in livers and hepatic weights. The AFB1 levels were lower than the allowed limits, suggesting that these products do not pose high risk to consumers. Notwithstanding, there is a need to implement aflatoxin residue monitoring and controls in all chicken meat products; this economic and efficient technique appears to be valuable for improved food safety in Mozambique.

Highlights

Poultry industry represents an activity of great importance worldwide, including Mozambique, since it constitutes one of the main sources of animal protein available to the population [1]
Considering the above facts and the very limited studies conducted in Mozambique on the occurrence of aflatoxins in chicken meat, the present study aimed to investigate aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) contamination in livers and gizzards of industrial and local produced boilers in the Maputo region, using an ELISA
100 samples of chicken liver and 80 of gizzard were tested for the frequency of AFB1 contamination using an ELISA technique

Summary

Introduction

Poultry industry represents an activity of great importance worldwide, including Mozambique, since it constitutes one of the main sources of animal protein available to the population [1]. Many crops used as main poultry feed ingredients—such as corn, peanut meal, cottonseed meal, and sorghum—are susceptible to mycotoxin contamination, representing a greater risk for introduction of mycotoxins in poultry diets [2,3,4,5]. Especially aflatoxins, is often a health and production hazard for poultry. Aflatoxins produced by toxigenic fungi—mainly Aspergillusflavus, Aspergillusparasiticus, and Aspergillusnomius—constitute some of the most important environmental toxicants which represent a health hazards both for humans and animals [2,6,7,10]. Four major groups—aflatoxin B1, B2, G1 and G2—are emphasized [10,11], with aflatoxin B1 (AFB1),the most toxic

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