Mycotoxins, especially the group called aflatoxins, are small molecules toxic to both humans and animals. They are produced by two fungi, Aspergillus flavus and A.Parasiticus. Aflatoxin appears in many agricultural products, but especially in groundnuts (peanuts). Contamination can occur any time from pre-harvest to storage. Pre-harvest infection is significant in the semi-arid tropics, especially when end-of-season drought occurs. Poor post-harvest conditions in warm humid area,and bad harvesting and storage practices lead to rapid development of the fingi and higher levels of toxins. This is especially true in developing contries where preventive measures are frequently ignored.
Consumption of Aflatoxins by human beings can lead to liver cancer. A person's chances of contracting cancer are compounded significantly if he/she carries the hepatitis B virus(the virus that causes jandice), as do an estimated 20million people in India. Aflatoxins do their damage by suppressing the immune response. They affect poultry and, when present in cattle fodder, the yield and quality of milk. Contaminated groundnuts and groundnut products cannot reach lucrative international markets, and exports from Asia and Africa have declined due to the stringent quality requirements of importing countries.
The enormous health and economic significance of food and feed contaminants have become steadily clearer since the 1960s, when mycotoxin was first discovered. Health issues in the developed world have been largely addressed, but elsewhere the situation is very different. Recent studies conducted by ICRISAT in southern India reveal aflatoxin levels as high as 40 times permissible limits. Because both groundnut haulms and the cake made from crushed seeds are major sources of animal feed. contamination of milk in both urban and rural areas exposes a huge cross section of the population, particularly children, to the terrible effects of aflatoxins.
ACIAR Selection for Peanut Varieties with Low Aflatoxin Risk
Peanut CSRP activities in collaboration with ICRISAT and NARS in West Africa
ELISA, the Enabling Technology a Major Achievement of a DFID funded Project Cost-effective technologies have been developed for estimation aflatoxin contamination in various foods and feeds, including milk. these have provided accurate results rapidly and cost effectively, and are adaptable to situations in developing countries.
Groundnut Germplasm Project (GGP) funded by CFC Conservation, Evaluation and Dissemination of Groundnut Germplasm, and Foundation Seed Production and Distribution for the West African Region This Project addresses issues of aflatoxin contamination in selected countries in West Africa.
Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus
Post - harvest technologies 1) English 2) French 3) Hindi
