Exposure of children 4 to 6 months of age to aflatoxin in Kisumu County, Kenya

Abstract

Contamination of foods by aflatoxins is a global health problem in both developed and developing countries. Exposure to the toxins is associated with a range of effects on health including stunting in children. Commodities at high risk of aflatoxin contamination include cereals, legumes, milk, fish and meats. Children are more vulnerable to effects of aflatoxin exposure compared to adults. Being genotoxic, levels of aflatoxins in foods should be kept as low as possible, given that there is no known threshold at which they may pose a health risk. This study investigated the potential exposure of young children to aflatoxin contamination in Kisumu County, Kenya. Kisumu County may have the potential for low to high levels of aflatoxin contamination due to prevailing weather conditions as well as reliance on maize, sorghum, cassava and rice as the main staple foods, groundnuts as snack and omena (Rastrienobola argentea) and milk as cheap sources of protein. These foods are also used as weaning foods in the County. Samples of omena, rice, groundnuts, cassava, maize, and sorghum were collected from Kibuye wholesale market, Kibuye open air market, Ahero market, Oile market and Mamboleo market in Kisumu County using a combination of cluster and systematic sampling. Processed cow’s milk samples were collected from supermarkets and raw cow’s milk samples from 3 market milk bazaars in the County. Analysis of solid foods was done using HELICA Total Aflatoxin Assay, intended for quantitative detection of aflatoxin B1, B2, G1 and G2. Milk sampling was done using the European model outlined in the Codex Alimentarius. Aflatoxin M1 …