School of Allied Health Sciences, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Health and Allied Sciences, PMB 31, Ho, Ghana.
School of Basic and Biomedical Sciences, Department of Basic Sciences, University of Health and Allied Sciences, PMB 31, Ho, Ghana.
Sci Rep. 2023 May 29;13(1):8710. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-35275-5.
Mycotoxigenic fungi can infect and produce potent mycotoxins in foodstuffs prior to harvest, during harvest (field fungi), and in storage after harvest (storage fungi), which when ingested, can result in adverse health effects. This study was aimed at assessing the knowledge, attitudes, and practices adopted by the Ghanaian populace to help mitigate the occurrence of molds and mycotoxins in foods. A cross-sectional survey involving a structured questionnaire was conducted with 642 respondents from twelve regions of Ghana. Descriptive statistics and analyses of variance were calculated. Correct Classification Rate (CCR) was measured to assess the utility of a logistic regression model. The results of the study showed that the majority of 299 (46.6%) of the respondents were between the ages of 18-25. Age and educational level were related to knowledge about the occurrence of fungi and mycotoxins in foods (p < 0.05). More than half the respondents, 50% indicated that they knew of aflatoxins as a major mycotoxin present in food. Higher education directly influenced on the knowledge of mycotoxicosis and the management of stored food to present intoxication by fungal metabolites. 502 (32.9%) knew that consuming foods with toxins could cause stomach aches. The most commonly consumed food commodity despite the presence of visible growth of fungi was bread (35.3%). The average KAP score for knowledge showed that, out of 100%, there was adequate knowledge (63.8%) among the members of the Ghanaian populace. Favorable environmental conditions of high humidity (> 85% ERH) and temperature (> 28-32 °C) enhance the proliferation of fungi in most foods and the attendant production of mycotoxins such as aflatoxins, ochratoxins, and fumonisins are associated with several severe human and animal health conditions; mycotoxicosis was associated with high fever, pain, vomiting, suppression of immunity, cancer, etc. when these foods are consumed on regular basis for a prolonged length of time. Future examination of the food items used for the School Feeding Programme in Ghana will offer opportunities to examine the risks of feeding youth with fungal-contaminated food preparations from providers.
产毒真菌可以在收获前（田间真菌）、收获期间（田间真菌）和收获后储存期间（储存真菌）感染和产生强效真菌毒素，并在食用后导致不良健康影响。本研究旨在评估加纳民众的知识、态度和做法，以帮助减轻食物中霉菌和真菌毒素的发生。采用横断面调查，对加纳 12 个地区的 642 名受访者进行了结构问卷调查。计算了描述性统计和方差分析。采用正确分类率（CCR）评估逻辑回归模型的效用。研究结果表明，299 名（46.6%）受访者年龄在 18-25 岁之间。年龄和教育水平与食物中真菌和真菌毒素发生的知识相关（p<0.05）。超过一半的受访者（50%）表示知道黄曲霉毒素是存在于食物中的主要真菌毒素。接受更高的教育直接影响对真菌毒素中毒和储存食物管理的知识，以防止真菌代谢物引起的中毒。502 名（32.9%）受访者知道食用含毒素的食物会引起胃痛。尽管面包（35.3%）等食物可见真菌生长，但仍是最常食用的食物。知识方面的平均 KAP 评分表明，加纳民众中有足够的知识（63.8%），占 100%的 63.8%。高湿度（>85%ERH）和高温（>28-32°C）等有利的环境条件促进了大多数食物中真菌的增殖，以及黄曲霉毒素、赭曲霉毒素和伏马菌素等真菌毒素的产生，这些毒素与许多严重的人类和动物健康状况有关；当这些食物被长期定期食用时，真菌毒素中毒与高热、疼痛、呕吐、免疫力抑制、癌症等有关。未来对加纳学校供餐计划使用的食品进行检查，将有机会检查向青年提供受真菌污染的食品准备的供应商存在的风险。
