Aflatoxin levels in common foods of South Western Uganda: a risk factor to hepatocellular carcinoma.

Prolonged exposure to aflatoxins by humans and animals leads to adverse effects to the various body systems of affected individuals including death. Studies have linked aflatoxins to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In Uganda, HCC is observed to be on increase in communities of South-Western Uganda. A cross-sectional study was therefore conducted in five districts of the region and 90 various food samples were collected for total aflatoxin determination. They included ground nuts, cassava, millet, sorghum flour and eshabwe sauce. The aflatoxin levels were determined using Vicam aflatest method. The results were compared with acceptable European Union aflatoxin levels. Aflatoxin levels in the food samples ranged from 0 to 55 ppb with a mean total aflatoxin level of 15.7 +/- 4.9 ppb. Eshabwe sauce had the highest mean total aflatoxin levels (18.6 +/- 2.4 ppb). Traditional methods of food processing in this study were found to be contributing risk factor of food contamination and hence the observed increased HCC cases and mortalities in the region.