Abstract
Aflatoxin contamination in maize by Aspergillus spp. is a major problem causing food, income and health concerns. A study was carried out in Kaiti District in Lower Eastern Kenya to evaluate the effect of three months storage of maize in triple-layer hermetic (PICS™) bags on the population of Aspergillus spp. and levels of aflatoxin. Postharvest practices by maize farmers including time of harvesting, drying and storage methods were obtained with a questionnaire. Aspergillus spp. in soil and maize were isolated by serial dilution-plating and aflatoxin content was measured using Vicam method. Maize was mostly stored in woven polypropylene (PP) and sisal bags within granaries and living houses. Aspergillus flavus L-strain was the most predominant isolate from soil (Mean = 8.4 x102 CFU/g),on the harvested grain (4.1 x 102 CFU/g) and grain sampled after three months of storage (1.1 x 103 CFU/g). The type of storage bag significantly (P ≤ 0.05) influenced the population of members of Aspergillus section Flavi, with A. flavus (S and L strains) and A. parasiticus being 71% higher in PP bags than in PICS bags. Total aflatoxin in maize sampled at harvest and after three months storage ranged from <5 to 42.7 ppb with 55% lower aflatoxin content in PICS bags than in PP bags. After storage, the population of Aspergillus section Flavi was positively correlated with aflatoxin levels. The results of this study demonstrate that PICS bags are an effective management option for reducing population of toxigenic Aspergillus spp. and aflatoxin in stored maize.
Highlights
Maize (Zea mays L.) is a staple food crop in Kenya accounting for about 40% of daily calories with per capita consumption of 98 kilograms per annum (Muiru, Charles, Kimenju, Njoroge, & Miano, 2015)
The results of this study demonstrate that PICS bags are an effective management option for reducing population of toxigenic Aspergillus spp. and aflatoxin in stored maize
The high occurrence of Aspergillus section Flavi in this study indicates a risk of aflatoxin poisoning when conditions are favorable as observed by Probst et al (2007) since Aspergillus section Flavi, have been reported as the main contaminants of maize from Eastern regions, Kenya (Okoth et al, 2012)
Summary
Maize (Zea mays L.) is a staple food crop in Kenya accounting for about 40% of daily calories with per capita consumption of 98 kilograms per annum (Muiru, Charles, Kimenju, Njoroge, & Miano, 2015). With about 90% of the rural households in Kenya depending on maize, this grain dominates all national food security considerations (Ouma & De-Groote, 2011). An important challenge for maize production in Kenya is contamination with aflatoxin, which poses negative health effect to humans and animals and causes huge economic losses (Okoth et al, 2012). Aflatoxin contaminated feeds have been associated with aflatoxicosis, impaired growth, immunosuppression, liver and kidney tumors in rodents and reduced quality of milk and milk products because of the presence of aflatoxin M1, a derivative of aflatoxin B1 (Lizárraga-Paulín, Moreno-Martínez, & Miranda-Castro, 2011)
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