Aflatoxin Levels in Tella and Areki, Traditional Alcoholic Drinks, From three Zonal Administrative Towns of Gojam, Ethiopia
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Date
2016-06-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Aflatoxins are known mycotoxins of high public health significance. They are related to acute and chronic mycotoxicosis. This study evaluated the level of Aflatoxin in two traditional alcoholic drinks of Ethiopia (Tella and Areki) collected from three zonal administrative towns of East, West and Awi - zones of Gojam area namely in Debremarkos, Finoteselam and Enjibarra towns respectively. A total of 30 Tella and 30 Areki samples were evaluated for their Aflatoxin (B1, B2, G1, G2) level by HPLC with fluorescence detection after clean up with an Immunoaffinity column. Moreover, Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) survey about Aflatoxin among consumers and producers of Tella and Areki were conducted. Method validation was done to address Limit of Quantification (LOQ), Limit of Detection (LOD), precision, accuracy, and recovery. Results revealed that, Aflatoxin levels detected in Areki samples were with inconclusive chromatogram peaks and the peaks possibly be “masked/modified” aflatoxins. While the mean total Aflatoxin level of the Tella samples were 12.8 ± 4.43 μg/kg, 14.4 ± 8.76 μg/kg, and 11.4 ± 3.38 μg/kg, in Debremarkos, Fintoselam and Enjibarra respectively. The level of individual Aflatoxin types detected were in the ranges of, AFG2 (< LOQ - 0.9) μg/kg, AFG1 (2.21 – 27.21) μg/kg, AFB2 (0.88 – 1.06) μg/kg, and AFB1 (< LOD - < LOQ). Except one sample, 96.67% of the Tella samples had total Aflatoxin level above the European Commission (EC) 4.0 μg/kg, total Aflatoxin limit legislation and this was contributed specifically by the G1 type of Aflatoxin only. Nevertheless, with regard to FDA Aflatoxin action level (max20 ppb Aflatoxin limit) and Codex Alimantarius (max 10 ppb Aflatoxin limit), only 10 % of the samples in the former, and 70% of the samples in the latter had total aflatoxin levels beyond the limits. The most Carcinogenic type of AFB1 was not beyond the limits of 2.0 μg/kg EC legislation. KAP study survey on Aflatoxin, results indicated none of the study participants were never heard of Aflatoxin. Their attitude towards inclusion of mouldy cereals in their recipes didn’t seem to worry them. It was observed the practices of the brewers and distillers in relation with Aflatoxin contamination, were vulnerable to Aflatoxin presence in the alcoholic drinks. Furthermore, it would be worth recommending also for further researches to integrate Mass Spectrometer with HPLC for certain identification of the peaks developed during Aflatoxin determination.
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Keywords
Tella, Areki, Aflatoxin, Kap, Legislation