Journal of Innovative Agriculture, Volume 5, Issue 3 : 1-9
Review Article

OPEN ACCESS | Published on : 30-Sep-2018

Aflatoxin research in southeast Nigeria: current status and possible risks in the era of climate change

  • Obani F T
  • Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, Abia state, Nigeria.

Abstract

Aflatoxins are Aspergillus secondary metabolites found in various crops and agricultural products. The contamination of food by aflatoxins can occur during crop production, processing, storage, transportation or marketing of the food products. High temperature, moisture content and water activity are among the predisposing factors that facilitate mould growth and the production of aflatoxins in food. Aflatoxins are considered the major mycotoxins produced in crops and food. In Nigeria and beyond, aflatoxin contamination is considered to be a major problem with implications that affect human and animal health as well as the economic potentials of crops. The available, updated information on the incidence of aflatoxin contamination, decontamination and its public health importance in south eastern Nigeria is lacking. The aim of this review is to highlight, update and discuss the available information on the incidence of aflatoxins in south eastern states of Nigeria. The public health implications, risk factors and the recommended strategies for control of aflatoxins in food and agricultural crops are also deliberated.

Keywords

Aflatoxins, food contamination, crops and products, health hazards, Southeast Nigeria

References

  • Abbas, H. K., M. A. Weaver, R. M. Zablotowicz, B. W.Horn, and W.T. Shier. 2005. Relationships between aflatoxin production and sclerotia formation among isolates of Aspergillus section Flavi from Mississippi Delta. European Journal of Plant Pathology, 112: 283–287.

    Adriana B., B. Adriana, A. Adriana,  C. Tatiana, Pereira, A. P. Terezinha de Jesus and S. Myrna. 2006. Occurrence of toxigenic fungi in herbal drugs. Brazilian Journal of Microbiology, 37: 47-51.

    Atanda, O., H. A., Makun, I. M. Ogara, M. Edema, K. O. Idahor, M. E Eshiett. and. B. F.  Oluwabamiwo. 2013. Fungal and Mycotoxin Contamination of Nigerian Foods and Feeds, Mycotoxin and Food Safety in Developing Countries, (Ed.),  Hussaini Makun. Retrieved from http://www.intechopen.com/books/mycotoxin-and-food-safety-in-developing-countries/fungal-and-mycotoxin-contamination-of-nigerian-foods-and-feeds.

    Bandyopadhyay,  R., A. Ortega-Beltran, A. Akande, C. Mutegi, J.  Atehnkeng, L. Kaptoge, A.L. Senghor, B.N Adhikari,. and P.J Cotty.  2016. Biological control of aflatoxins in Africa: current status and potential challenge. World Mycotoxin Journal, 1-4, Retrieved from DOI: 10.3920/WMJ2016.2130

    Bandyopadhyay, R. M. Kumar, and J. F., Leslie. 2007. Relative severity of aflatoxin contamination of cereal crops in West Africa. Food Additives and Contaminants, 24: 1109-1114.

    Battilani, P., P. Toscano, H. Van der Fels-Klerx, A. Moretti, M. Camardo Leggieri, C. Brera, A. Rortais, T. Goumperis, and T. Robinson. 2016. Aflatoxin B1 contamination in maize in Europe increases due to climate change. Scientific Reports, 6: 24328.

    Bennett, J. W. and M. Klich. 2003.  Mycotoxins. Clinical Microbiology Review. 16: 419 – 516.

    Cardwell, K. F. and S. H Henry. 2006. Risk of exposure to and mitigation of effects of aflatoxin on human health: A West African example. In: Abbas, H. K. (Ed.), Aflatoxin and Food Safety. Taylor and Francis Group Bota Racon, Florida, 213-235.

    Chemical book 2010. Aflatoxin: chemical properties, usage, production. Retrieved from http://www.chemicalbook.com/ChemicalProductProperty_EN_CB21041503.htm

    Cotty, P. J. and R. Jaime-Garcia. 2007. Influences of climate on aflatoxin producing fungi and aflatoxin contamination. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 119: 109–115.

    Darwish, W. S, Ikenaka Y, S,. Nakayama, M.M. and M. 1 Ishizuka. 2014 , An Overview on Mycotoxin Contamination of Foods in Africa. Toxicology Journal of Veterinary Medicine Science, 76(6): 789–797.

    Donner, M. and Wuppertal D. 2009.Distribution and molecular characterization of aflatoxin-producing and non-producing isolates of Aspergillus section Flavi for biological control of aflatoxin contamination in maize in Nigeria. Institut für Nutzpflanzenwissenschaften und Ressourcenschutz (INRES).91 pp.

    Dorner,  J. W. (2004). Biological control of aflatoxin contamination of crops. Journal of Toxicology - Toxin Reviews, 2(3):425–450.

    FAO. 2004. Worldwide regulations for mycotoxins in food and feed in 2003. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization. Food and Nutrition Papers, 81:170 pp. ISBN 92-5-105162-3.

    Farombi, E. O. 2006. Aflatoxin contamination of foods in developing countries: implications for hepatocellular carcinoma and chemo preventive strategies.  African Journal of Biotechnology, 5(1), 1–14.

    Gordon, S. S. 2005. Aflatoxin and Food Safety: Recent African Perspectives. Taylor and Francis Group, LLC 16 pp.

    Guo, B., Sobolev, V., C. Holbrook, and R. Lynch. 2002. Impact of phytoalexins and lesser cornstalk borer damage on resistance to aflatoxin formation. In proceedings of the 15th aflatoxin elimination workshop Mycopathologia October 23-25, 2002, 12 pp.

    Hernandez-Vargas, H., J. Castelino, M. J. Silver, P., Dominguez-Salas, M. P Cros, G. Durand, F. Le Calvez-Kelm,, A.M. Prentice, C.P. Wild. and S.E. Moore. 2015. Exposure to aflatoxin B1 in utero is associated with DNA methylation in white blood cells of infants in The Gambia. International Journal of Epidemiology, 4:1238-1248.

    IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer). 2002. Aflatoxins. Vol. 82, pp. 83. Retrieved 2013 from monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/vol82/volume82.pdf

    Kaaya, A. N., W. Kyamuhangire, S. Kyamanywa. 2006. Factors affecting aflatoxin contamination of harvested maize in the three agro-ecological zones of Uganda. Journal of Applied Sciences, 6:401–2407.

    Kumar, P. L., S. V. Reddy, and F. Waliyar. 2000. Management of aflatoxins in maize. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT).Retrieved February 12, 2011 from www.icrisat.org/aflatoxin/maize.

    Makun, H. A., A. Timothy, H. O. Gbodi, A. E. Akanya, E.A. Salako .and G., H. Ogbadu. (2007). Fungi and some mycotoxins contaminating rice (Oryza sativa) in Niger State, Nigeria. African Journal of Biotechnology, 6 (2): 99 – 108.

    Makun, H. A. , T. A. Gbodi, H. O. Akanya, A. E Salako. and G. H. Ogbad.. 2009a. Health implications of toxigenic fungi found in two Nigerian staples: guinea corn and rice. African Journal of Food Science, 3: 250-256.

    Makun, H. A. , T. A. Gbodi, H. O. Akanya, A. E Salako. and G. H. Ogbadu. 2009b. Fungi and some mycotoxins found in mouldy Sorghum in Niger State, Nigeria. World Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 5 (1): 05 – 17.

    Makun, H. A., M. F. Dutton, P. B Njobeh,  M Mwanza. and A. Y. Kabiru. 2011. Natural multi-occurrence of mycotoxins in rice from Niger State, Nigeria. Mycotoxin Research, 27: 97–104.

    Melvin, S.S. 2012. Aflatoxin and public health – a population study. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Science and Health Care, 2(2): 52 – 61.

    Mohamed, I. F S., I. J. Cox, A. I Gomaa, K.. A. Shahid., W. Gedroyc. and S. D. Taylor-Robinson. 2009. Hepatocellular carcinoma current trends in worldwide epidemiology, risk factors, diagnosis and therapeutics. Expert Review of Gastroenterology Hepatology, 3(4):353-367.

    N’dede,  C. B., C. M. Jolly, S.  D. Vodouhe,  and P. E. Jolly. 2012. Economic Risks of Aflatoxin Contamination in Marketing of Peanut in Benin. Economics Research International. 2012: 1-12.

    Nuntharatanapong, N., T. Suramana, S. Chaemthanorn, R. Zapuang, E. Ritta, S. Semathong, S. Chuamorn, V. Niyomwan, N Dusitsin,. O. Lohinavy.and P. Sinhaseni. 2001. Increase in tumour necrosis factor-alpha and a change in the lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme pattern in plasma of workers exposed to aflatoxin-contaminated feeds. Archives of Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology, 52: 291–298.

    Perrone1, G., A. Gallo, L.A. F. and Antonia. 2014. Biodiversity of Aspergillus section Flavi in Europe in relation to the management of aflatoxin risk. Frontiers in microbiology, 5(377): 1-5.

    Reddy, K. R. N., B. Salleh, B. Saad, H. K. Abbas, C. A. Abel. and W. T Shier.  2010. An overview of mycotoxin contamination in foods and its implications for human health. Toxin Reviews, 29(1): 3–26

    Reddy, S.V. and F. Waliyar. 2005. Properties of aflatoxin and it producing fungi. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). Retrieved from www.aflatoxin.info/aflatoxin.asp.

    Richard, J. L. and G. A Payne. 2003. Mycotoxins in plant, animal, and human systems. Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST), Ames, Iowa Task Force Report No. 139. Retrieved from www.aspergillusflavus.org/aflavus.

    Scheidegger, K. A. and G. A. Payne. 2003. Unlocking the secrets behind secondary metabolism: A review of Aspergillus flavus from pathogenicity to functional genomics. Journal of Toxicology-Toxin Reviews, 22(2-3): 423-459.

    Strosnider, H.,  E. Azziz-Baumgartner,  M. Banziger, R. V. Bhat,  R. Breiman,  M. Brune K.. DeCock, A. Dilley J. Groopman K. Hell,  S. H. Henry,  D. Jeffers, C. Jolly,  P. Jolly,  G. N. Kibata,  L. .Lewis X. Liu, G. Luber,  L.  McCoy, P. Mensah M. Miraglia A. Misore, H. Njapau C Ong,  M. T. K.. Onsongo,  S. W. Page, D. Park,  M. Patel,  T. Phillips,  M.Pineiro,  J. Pronczuk,  H. S Rogers,  C. Rubin,  M. Sabino A. Schaafsma, G.  Shephard, J. Stroka,  C. Wild,  J. T. Williams. and D. Wilson. 2006. Workgroup Report: Public Health Strategies for Reducing Aflatoxin Exposure in Developing Countries. Environmental Health Perspectives, 114(12): 1898-1903.

    Uriah, N., N. I. Ibeh. and F. Oluwafemi. 2001. A study on the impact of aflatoxin on human reproduction. African Journal of Reproductive Health, 5(1):106-110.

    Wild, C. P. and P. C Turner. 2002.The toxicology of aflatoxins as a basis for public health decisions. Mutagenesis, 17:471-481.

    Williams, J.H., T.D. Phillips, P.E Jolly, J. K. Stiles, C.M. Jolly. and D. Aggarwal. 2004. Human aflatoxicosis in developing countries: a review of toxicology, exposure, potential health consequences, and interventions. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 80: 1106-1122.

    Yu, J., T.E. Cleveland, W.C. Nierman. and J.W Bennett. 200.5.Aspergillus flavus genomics: gateway to human and animal health, food safety, and crop resistance to diseases. Revista Iberoamericana De Micologia, 22: 194-202.

Statistics

  • No.of Views (371)
  • PDF Downloads (165)
;