Relationship between serum aflatoxin concentrations and the nutritional status of children aged 6-24 months from Zambia.

In Zambia, mothers/caregivers feed their children cereal-based complementary foods that are prone to aflatoxin contamination. This study evaluated the relationship between exposure to aflatoxins and the nutritional status of young children. It covered 400 mothers with children aged 6-24 months. Their nutritional status assessed by measuring weight and height using standard procedures. Serum samples analysed for aflatoxin B1-lysine (AFB1-lys), a reliable biomarker of aflatoxin exposure. Child sickness and age, exposure to aflatoxin in foods, and albumin-normalised AFB1-lys level were found to be significantly (p < .05) associated with child stunting except for child age that was not significant at p = .05. Children with an increase in the blood serum aflatoxin B1 lysine adduct are more likely to be stunted. These results have shown that dietary exposure to aflatoxin could lead to an increase in serum aflatoxin concentrations, both of which are associated with stunting.

Nutrient and aflatoxin contents of traditional complementary foods consumed by children of 6-24 months.

The nutrient composition and safety of complementary foods have recently become areas of concern, especially with regard to aflatoxin contamination which has been found to adversely affect health outcomes. This study presents the nutrient and aflatoxin contents of complementary foods consumed by children (6-24 months) and infants and young child feeding practices of mothers from two districts in eastern and southern Zambia. A total of 400 mother-child pairs were recruited from Monze and Chipata districts, and data on breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices were collected twice at 3-month interval using a structured questionnaire. Samples of two traditional complementary foods (Maize Nshima and Maize porridge) were collected from the mothers and analyzed for nutrient contents and aflatoxin contamination. The results showed that there is a high level of awareness on exclusive breastfeeding among mothers. Fat, protein, carbohydrate, and ash contents of Maize nshima from Chipata were significantly lower (p < .05) compared to those from Monze district except for starch and sugar. Monze mothers preferred to prepare a thicker Maize nshima and Maize porridge compared to their Chipata counterparts. The aflatoxin contamination showed that the Maize porridge samples from Chipata were the most contaminated with mean aflatoxin content of 5.8 ± 15.93 mg/100 g, while Maize nshima was the most contaminated of the two complementary foods from Monze districts with mean aflatoxin level of 3.8 ± 6.41 mg/100 g. There were significant (p < .05) positive correlations between fat and aflatoxin contents for Chipata samples (r = .12409) and for Monze samples (r = .13666). The traditional complementary foods studied were found to be low in fat and protein and high in aflatoxin contamination. Thus, it is imperative that best practices and interventions are designed and introduced to reduce the possible lethal health implications of consumption of such complementary foods by children under 5 years.

A survey of pre-harvest ear rot diseases of maize and associated mycotoxins in south and central Zambia.

Maize ear rots reduce grain yield and quality with implication on food security and health. Some of the pathogenic fungi produce mycotoxins in maize grain posing a health risk to humans and livestock. Unfortunately, the levels of ear rot and mycotoxin infection in grain produced by subsistence farmers in sub-Saharan countries are not known. A survey was thus conducted to determine the prevalence of the ear rot problem and levels of mycotoxins in maize grain. A total of 114 farmsteads were randomly sampled from 11 districts in Lusaka and southern provinces in Zambia during 2006. Ten randomly picked cobs were examined per farmstead and the ear rot disease incidence and severity were estimated on site. This was followed by the standard seed health testing procedures for fungal isolation in the laboratory. Results indicated that the dominant ear rots were caused by Fusarium and Stenocarpella. Incidence of Fusarium verticillioides ranged from 2 to 21%, whereas that of Stenocarpella maydis reached 37% on ear rot diseased maize grain. In addition, 2-7% F. verticillioides, and 3-18% Aspergillus flavus, respectively, were recovered from seemingly healthy maize grain. The mean rank of fungal species, from highest to lowest, was F. verticillioides, S. maydis, A. flavus, Fusarium graminearum, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium spp., Botrydiplodia spp., and Cladosporium spp. The direct competitive ELISA-test indicated higher levels of fumonisins than aflatoxins in pre-harvest maize grain samples. The concentration of fumonisins from six districts, and aflatoxin from two districts, was 10-fold higher than 2 ppm and far higher than 2 ppb maximum daily intake recommended by the FAO/WHO. The study therefore suggested that subsistence farmers and consumers in this part of Zambia, and maybe also in similar environments in sub-Saharan Africa, might be exposed to dangerous levels of mycotoxins due to the high levels of ear rot infections in maize grain.