Aflatoxin contamination in unrecorded beers from Kenya – A health risk beyond ethanol
Date
2017Author
Okaru, Alex O.
Abuga, Kennedy O.
Kibwage, Isaac O
Hausler, Thomas
Luy, Burkhard
Kuballaa, Thomas
Rehm, Jürgen
Lachenmeier, Dirk W.
Type
ArticleLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Samples of unrecorded opaque beers (n = 58; 40 based on maize, 5 on sorghum and 13 on other plants) and recorded wines (n = 8) in Kenya were screened for aflatoxins using a rapid ELISA technique followed by confirmation using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Six of the maize beers were obtained from Kibera slums in Nairobi County. Aflatoxin contamination was detected in six unrecorded beers (10%), but in none of the recorded wines. Remarkably, three of the aflatoxin positive samples were from the Kibera slums.
The mean concentration of aflatoxins in the positive samples was 3.5 μg/L (range 1.8–6.8 μg/L), corresponding for an average consumption of 500 mL (1 standard drink) to a margin of exposure (MOE) of 36 (range: 15–58), which is considered as ‘risk’. On the other hand, the alcoholic strength of the aflatoxin positive samples had a mean of 4.3% vol (range 3.5–4.8%) corresponding to a MOE of 2.5 (range of 2.2–3.0) for the equivalent consumption volume. While aflatoxins pose a risk to the consumer, this risk is about 10 times lower than the risk of ethanol.
The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives sets no acceptable daily intake for aflatoxins since they are genotoxic carcinogens and instead recommends for the reduction of aflatoxin dietary exposure as an important public health goal, particularly in populations who consume high levels of any potentially aflatoxins-contaminated food. Nevertheless, ethanol still posed a considerably higher risk in the unrecorded beers examined. However, consumers should be informed about aflatoxins, as these are an involuntary and unknown risk to them. In addition, producers should be educated about measures to reduce aflatoxins in alcoholic beverages.
URI
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0956713517301913http://hdl.handle.net/11295/100767
Publisher
University of Nairobi
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United StatesUsage Rights
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/Collections
The following license files are associated with this item:
Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States
Related items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.
-
Aflatoxin exposure measured by urinary excretion of aflatoxin B1-guanine adduct and hepatitis B virus infection in areas with different liver cancer incidence in Kenya.
Autrup, H; Seremet, T; Wakhisi, J; Wasunna, A (College of Health Sciences, University of Nairobi, 1987)Two major etiological agents, hepatitis B virus and aflatoxin B1, are considered to be involved in the induction of liver cancer in Africa. In order to elucidate any synergistic effect of these two agents we conducted a ... -
Nixtamalization Of A Supplementary Porridge For Children: Effect On Physico-Chemical Characteristics, Nutrient Intake, Aflatoxin Contents And Aflatoxin Exposure
Mngoli, Kitty (University of Nairobi, 2018)Prevalence of Protein Energy Malnutrition (PEM) in under five year old children in Malawi is one of the highest in the world at 30% underweight, 49% stunting and 70% wasting. This prompted the development of a maize-soybean ... -
Optical characterization and raman spectroscopy of aflatoxin b1 and aflatoxin-contaminated maize
Simiyu, Mary T (University of Nairobi, 2015)Aflatoxins are toxic and carcinogenic chemicals produced by several fungi grown in many farm produce and food spices. The naturally produced aflatoxins by fungi Aspergillus flavus and Aspergilus parasiticus are aflatoxin ...