Magan Centre of Applied Mycology, Cranfield University, Cranfield, UK.
Department of Environment and Livelihoods Support System, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, P.O Box 1410, Mbarara, Uganda.
Mycotoxin Res. 2024 Nov;40(4):693-708. doi: 10.1007/s12550-024-00556-z. Epub 2024 Sep 17.
This study investigated the occurrence and distribution of multiple mycotoxins (aflatoxin B, B, G, G, fumonisins B, B, ochratoxin A (OTA), deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEN), and citrinin (CIT)) in cassava products and as assessed the potential risk of aflatoxin B1 (AFB) exposure among cassava consumers. A total of 192 samples of cassava products (96 flour and 96 chips, each with 48 samples from farmer and 48 from wholesaler) were analysed using LC/MS-MS. All positive samples irrespective of their origin (flour or chips) exhibited AFB levels exceeding the EU regulatory threshold of 5 µg/kg. The sum of fumonisins (FB + FB), ZEN, and DON were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in cassava flour (14.3 µg/kg; 3.71 µg/kg; 25.1 µg/kg) compared to chips (6.54 µg/kg; 1.25 µg/kg; 0.25 µg/kg), respectively. Aflatoxins G was not detected in any of 192 samples. Cassava flour samples from farmers exhibited significantly (P < 0.05) higher mean concentrations of AFB (27.1 µg/kg), total aflatoxins (78.2 µg/kg), and ochratoxin A (79.6 µg/kg) in contrast to wholesalers, whose mean levels were notably lower at 8.91, 5.79 µg/kg, and 2.44 µg/kg, respectively, pointing the likely critical source of mycotoxin contamination. Cassava consumers in Northern Uganda are at a higher risk, with an estimated 2.06 cancer cases per 100,000 individuals per year compared to those in Eastern Uganda at 0.25. This study underscores the urgent need for interventions to manage aflatoxins in cassava flour, particularly at farm level in Northern Uganda. It accentuates a shift market to household-level sampling and the need for analytical methods targeting multiple mycotoxins.
本研究调查了多种真菌毒素（黄曲霉毒素 B、B、G、G、伏马菌素 B、B、赭曲霉毒素 A（OTA）、脱氧雪腐镰刀菌烯醇（DON）、玉米赤霉烯酮（ZEN）和桔青霉素（CIT））在木薯制品中的发生和分布，并评估了木薯消费者摄入黄曲霉毒素 B1（AFB）的潜在风险。使用 LC/MS-MS 分析了 192 份木薯制品（96 份面粉和 96 份薯片，每份来自农民的 48 份和批发商的 48 份）。所有阳性样品（无论其来源是面粉还是薯片）均显示 AFB 水平超过欧盟规定的 5 µg/kg 限量。与薯片（分别为 6.54 µg/kg、1.25 µg/kg 和 0.25 µg/kg）相比，木薯面粉中的伏马菌素（FB+FB）、ZEN 和 DON 总量（14.3 µg/kg、3.71 µg/kg 和 25.1 µg/kg）显著更高（P<0.05）。在 192 个样本中均未检测到黄曲霉毒素 G。与批发商相比，农民的木薯面粉样本中 AFB（27.1 µg/kg）、总黄曲霉毒素（78.2 µg/kg）和 OTA（79.6 µg/kg）的平均浓度显著更高（P<0.05），批发商的平均水平分别明显低至 8.91、5.79 µg/kg 和 2.44 µg/kg，这表明真菌毒素污染的可能是关键来源。与乌干达东部地区的 0.25 相比，乌干达北部地区的木薯消费者面临更高的风险，估计每年每 10 万人中有 2.06 例癌症病例。本研究强调迫切需要采取干预措施来管理木薯面粉中的黄曲霉毒素，特别是在乌干达北部的农场一级。它强调了从市场向家庭一级抽样的转变以及针对多种真菌毒素的分析方法的必要性。
