The International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST) has released its latest Scientific Information Bulletin (SIB), which provides a summary of the most recent information on aflatoxins for the global food science and technology community. In addition, the IUFoST Food Safety Committee in collaboration with young food scientists from Africa have developed a project proposal that is intended to promote the introduction of peanut sorting technology in Africa, which is one of the few means that can effectively reduce aflatoxin exposure.
Aflatoxin has been a major food safety problem since its discovery in 1961. Natural mixtures of aflatoxin and aflatoxin B are highly toxic and potent liver carcinogens. Billions of dollars have been spent to address their presence in grain staples, especially maize, as well as in peanuts and tree nuts. Exposure in developing countries is largely unabated.
The purpose of the SIB is to highlight reports from two expert sources on health impact and management of aflatoxin. The first document relates to the World Health Organization (WHO) report “Global Burden of Foodborne Disease” released in 2015 that quantitatively linked aflatoxin to primary liver cancer expressed in terms of DALYs (Disability Adjusted Life Years). Released in early 2016, the second report—“Mycotoxin Control in Low and Middle Income Countries”—was issued by WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
The 2015 WHO report estimated for the first time the global foodborne disease incidence, mortality, and disease burden in terms of the harmonized health metric, the DALY. The report included estimates of the public health burden of 31 foodborne hazards, including four chemical hazards (aflatoxin, dioxins, cyanide in cassava, and peanut allergens). The report found that aflatoxin was associated with the highest global burden of DALYs (636,869) of the four chemicals studied. West Africa was the most severely affected region with 28 DALYs per 100,000 population.
The IARC report focused on the overall health impact of aflatoxin and fumonisin in developing countries. It concluded that these mycotoxins are not only a cause of acute poisoning and cancer but are also likely contributors to the high levels of stunting in children seen in exposed populations. The group also identified effective measures to reduce exposure in developing countries, including post-harvest interventions that would involve the food science and technology community.
IUFoST’s project to promote the introduction of peanut sorting technology will involve the establishment of pilot visual/manual sorting facilities at food science and technology departments at universities in several African countries to train students as well as staff of small- and medium-size peanut processing facilities in the method.
