Maize Grains Aflatoxin Handling, Regulations Compliance and the Mitigation of Risks of Exposure Through the Integration of Neutral Electrolyzed Water: a Case Study of Kiambu County Maize Mills

Abstract

Food safety along the whole food chain is key to a healthy population in the developing countries. Vigorous surveillance activity by the Kenyan regulation bodies have shown high levels of aflatoxin in the maize products in the markets that are highly consumed as staple food, increasing the risk of aflatoxicosis. Kiambu county is in central Kenya and its highly industrialized. The county contains a big number of maize mills in Kenya. Also, the county has a high population representing all economic groups and therefore, there is a high dependency of consumption of maize based products. The aim of the study was to access the maize grains aflatoxin handling, regulations compliance and the mitigation of risks of exposure through integration of neutral electrolyzed water in Kiambu County. The study was conducted in 30 Kiambu County maize mills. The sampling methods used included clustering and systematic. A total of 150 respondents who were the handlers of the maize and maize products were selected randomly from the milling sub-sections during the evaluation of knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) on HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) installation and application. Data was collected by the use of questionnaires throughout this study. Multivariate probit model and multinomial logit model were used as the analytical framework for evaluating. The respondents of Food Safety Management System (FSMS) implementation compliance on ISO 22000:2018 were the laboratory analysts. The analyzed data was on factors that surround its implementation and shortcomings that hinder the compliance of the system by the millers in the County. Descriptive statistics were used to obtain means, percentages and standard deviations as the basic statistics. Determination of aflatoxin exposure in Kiandutu slum residents involved 97 households which were sampled by the use of Yamane method. Consumption data and sampling of maize based products was done purposively and randomly from the available maize based products in the households respectively. Enzyme-Linked Immuno- Sorbent Assay (ELISA) was used in aflatoxin analysis. Monte Carlo risk simulation was used to generate the quantitative exposure data. The effectiveness of Neutral Electrolyzed Water in aflatoxin treatment in maize grains was also assessed in the study from the mills. The maize grains were randomly collected from the sampled maize millers and transported to Kenya Bureau of Standards laboratories for aflatoxin analysis. Response surface methodology was used to optimize the reduction of aflatoxin in maize...