Occurrence and Prevalence of Aflatoxins Contamination in stored Maize Grains from the Rift Valley, Kenya

Abstract

Aflatoxins contamination of food is a global human health risk because of its ill health effects; liver cancers, suppression of immune system, teratogenic disorders among others. Its outbreak incidences have led to food spoilage, malnutrition and growth retardation in children. This study aimed to establish the occurrence and prevalence of aflatoxin in stored maize. Samples were collected from farmers’, retailers’, wholesalers’ and National Cereals and Produce Board stores in Nakuru, Kajiado and Trans-Nzoia Counties. One hundred and forty-seven maize samples were purchased from grain stores, processed, extracted and analyzed for aflatoxins. Analysis and quantification of the samples was performed using high performance liquid chromatography coupled with fluorescence detector. The order of mean aflatoxin contamination in samples by the four strains was AFB1>AFG1>AFB2>AFG2. The most prevalent and dominant was Aflatoxin B1 which contaminated 58.5% of samples above 4 μg/kg limit for human food. The occurrence of aflatoxin contamination by maize samples was 89.93%. It was higher in samples from Trans Nzoia and Kajiado counties than in samples from Nakuru County. Aflatoxin occurrence in the counties varied with the stores; thus in Kajiado 67% of the National Cereals and Produce Board stores, 52% of farmers’ in Trans-Nzioa, while 42% of farmers’ stores in Nakuru were contaminated.