The occurrence of aflatoxins and human health risk estimations in randomly obtained maize from some markets in Ghana.

Maize and its products are most often prone to fungal contamination especially during cultivation and storage by toxigenic fungi. Aflatoxicosis still persist in Ghana despite the numerous education on several ways of its prevention at the farm as well as its adverse health implications which are food safety concerns. A random assessment and human risk analysis was conducted on 90 maize (72 white and 18 colored) samples from markets across all the regions of Ghana. Total aflatoxins (AFtotal) and the constitutive aflatoxins (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, and AFG2) were analyzed by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Out of a total of ninety (90) samples investigated, 72 (80%) tested positive for AFB1 and the contamination levels ranged from 0.78 ± 0.04 to 339.3 ± 8.6 µg kg-1. Similarly, AFG2 was detected in only 14 (15.5%) samples, and their values ranged between 1.09 ± 0.03 and 5.51 ± 0.26 µg kg-1 while AF total ranged between 0.78 ± 0.04 and 445.01 ± 8.9 µg kg-1 constituting approximately 72 (80%). Limits of AFB1 and total aflatoxins (AFtotal) for the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) (5 and 10 µg kg-1) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) (2 and 4 µg kg-1), were used as checks. A total of 33 (41.25%) samples were above the limits for both. Risk assessments recorded for Estimated Daily Intake (EDI), Hazard Quotient (H.Q), Hazard Index (H.I), Margin of Exposure (MOE), av. Potency, and population risks ranged 0.087-0.38 µg kg-1 bw day-1, 1.5-6.9, 0.0087-0.38, 3.64-12.09, 0-0.0396 ng Aflatoxins kg-1 bw day-1 and, 3.5 × 10-1-0.015 respectively for total aflatoxins. While ranges for aflatoxins B1 (AFB1) recorded were 0.068-0.3 µg Kg bw-1 day-1, 2.43-10.64, 0.0068-0.030, 4.73-20.51, 0-0.0396 ng Aflatoxins kg-1 bw day-1 and, 2.69 × 10-3-0.012 for Estimated Daily Intake (EDI), Hazard Quotient (H.Q), Hazard Index (H.I), Margin of Exposure (MOE), Av. potency, and population risks respectively. It was deduced that although there was some observed contamination of maize across the different ecological zones, the consumption of maize (white and colored) posed no adverse health effects on the population of Ghana since computed H.I was less than 1 (< 1).

Energy drink: the consumption prevalence, and awareness of its potential health implications among commercial drivers in the Ho municipality of Ghana.

BACKGROUND: Consumption of energy drinks has become an escalating global public health problem. The work schedule and irregular sleeping habits of commercial bus drivers make them highly susceptible to getting fatigued, hence most of them consume energy drinks as a fatigue management strategy. However, consumption of energy drinks produces numerous psychomotor side effects that if consumed among drivers puts the traveling public in danger of road accidents. This study sought to assess the prevalence of energy drink consumption and awareness of associated potential health problems among commercial long-distance bus drivers operating from the Ho municipality. METHODS: The study population comprised about 266 commercial bus drivers. This was a cross-sectional study involving 132 participants who completed a structured questionnaire on the participants' socio-demographic characteristics, frequency of consumption and reasons for consumption. It also included questions to assess the knowledge of the ingredients and side effects of energy drinks. Respondents were selected using a convenience sampling technique. Descriptive analysis and Chi-square test of association were used to analyse the data. RESULTS: A majority (62.1%) of the drivers had more than 10 years of commercial driving experience. A 75% energy drink consumption prevalence was recorded with driving performance enhancement (78.8%) as the predominant reason for consumption. 7-10 bottles per week were consumed by most (32.2%) of the drivers. Also, 72.0% had poor knowledge of the side effects linked with energy drink consumption as well as the ingredients for preparation. CONCLUSION: Energy drinks were consumed by the majority of the drivers at the Ho main bus terminal of which most of the drivers had poor knowledge of the potential health problems linked with the consumption of these drinks. The consumption of energy drinks was observed to be higher among the drivers with lower education levels, higher monthly income and those who worked long hours in a day. The Ghana National Road Safety Commission (GNRC) in collaboration with other private road transport unions in Ghana should organize regular seminars for commercial bus drivers on the potential dangers and effects associated with energy drink consumption.