Assessment the Level of Awareness of Aflatoxin Contaminations in Maize-Based Meals Among Boarding School Personnel

Abstract

Tanzania is a tropical country that lies few degrees south of the equator The coast area includes regions such as Dar es Salaam and Coastal region which are hot and humid with cooling breezes of the Indian Ocean. Awareness of society is a crucial aspect of ensuring the safety and quality of food. One of the risk factors in food safety is the presence of aflatoxin in various foods such as cereals, and groundnuts. The aim of this study was to assess the levels of awareness of aflatoxin B1 contamination in maize and maize flour used for meals in boarding secondary schools. A total of 90 respondents from 30 schools from 7 districts of the two regions were interviewed. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect information and the survey showed that 74.4% of the respondents were aware of aflatoxin contamination. 85.6% of respondents know that aflatoxin is found in food and only 14.4% were not aware. 74.4% were capable of selecting the correct list of food that can be contaminated with aflatoxin while 11.1% selected the wrong list. 14.4% of the respondents were unable to select the list of foods that can be contaminated with aflatoxin. These results indicate that most of them are aware of the issue of aflatoxin contamination in maize and its products which is good for reducing aflatoxin contamination in food products and its effect. An effective and broad awareness program for the society including boarding school personnel and students on good management of food for prevention of aflatoxins contamination and its health effects is necessary, as maize and its products are the most consumed grain in the study area.