Mycotoxins in food in West Africa: current situation and possibilities of controlling it

TLDR

Mycotoxin contamination in West Africa is promoted by plant stress, late harvesting, high humidity that hinders drying, poor storage practices, and limited awareness. This review surveys the types of mycotoxins found in West African crops and discusses their acute and chronic toxic effects. The authors compile contamination data and outline control strategies including education, early harvesting, rapid drying, improved storage, and biological and chemical interventions. Maize and groundnuts are major substrates for aflatoxin, fumonisins are widespread in maize, and other foods such as dried yam chips, tiger nut, melon seeds, and stored herbal plants also show contamination. Keywords: Mycotoxins, aflatoxins, food, fumonisins, ochratoxin A, surveillance, toxicology, prevention, control, West Africa.

Abstract

This review presents the different mycotoxins (aflatoxins, fumonisins and ochratoxin A) produced in agricultural crops in the West African sub-region. The acute and chronic toxic effects of the various mycotoxins are presented. Maize and groundnuts have been found to be excellent substrate for aflatoxin contamination, while fumonisins are widely distributed in maize. Other food products for which mycotoxin contamination has been reported in the sub-region include dried yam chips, tiger nut, melon seeds and stored herbal plants. Mycotoxin contamination is favoured by stress factors during plant growth, late harvesting of crops, high ambient humidity preventing thorough drying, unscientific storage practices and lack of awareness. Control measures include education of the populace on the danger of mycotoxin contaminated diet, early harvesting, rapid drying, sorting, sanitation, use of improved storage structures, smoking, insect control, the use of botanicals and synthetic chemicals as storage protectants, fumigation, biological control, the use of resistant varieties and detoxification of mycotoxin contaminated grains. Key words: Mycotoxins, aflatoxins, food, fumonisins, ochratoxin A, surveillance, toxicology, prevention, control, West Africa. &nbsp