Level of Aflatoxin in Sorghum Injera From Eastern Ethiopia
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Date
2017-11-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Sorghum Injera is a predominant human feed in Eastern Ethiopia. However, most of farmers
in Hararghe, Eastern Ethiopia, store their grain in underground pit which is very conducive to
produce Aflatoxin by Aspergillus Species. Thus, consumption of Injera made from sorghum
grain contaminated with aflatoxin is a potential risk for human health. Aflatoxin is highly
genotoxic, mutagenic, and hepatocarcinogenic substances. Therefore, this study was
conducted with an objective to determine total aflatoxins in Sorghum Injera sample from
Eastern Ethiopia. The analysis of the study was conducted on thirteen (30) duplicate samples
collected from five districts of Harrghe, Eastern Ethiopia. The main analytical technique
implemented for aflatoxin analysis was Immunoaffinity sample clean-up and Shimadzu High
performance liquid chromatography using fluorescent as a detector. Questionnaire also
implemented to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) aspect of the participants.
The study revealed that 66.67% of the samples were contaminated with aflatoxins; B1, B2,
G1 and G2 above lower limit of quantification. The maximum concentration of aflatoxin
found in sorghum Injera sample was 53.33μg/kg with an overall mean of 11.2 μg/kg. On the
other hand, the average AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2 concentrations were 4.63 μg kg-1, 0.406
μg kg-1, 5.75 μg kg-1 and 0.856 μg kg-1 respectively. The current result showed that there
was significant contamination of Sorghum Injera samples with Aflatoxins. 33.33% of sample
analyzed were unsafe for direct human consumption as per the FDA maximum tolerable
intake limit (exceed 20 μg/kg). In addition, 53.33% of sample analysed were unsafe for
human feed as per EU maximum tolerable intake level (exceed 4 μg/kg). The major
underlined factor for the heavy contamination of sorghum injera with aflatoxin in the region
might be because of poor Pre-and postharvest management of sorghum grain, mainly, the
storage of sorghum grain in the un-sanitized underground pit was very favourable for the
production aflatoxins by Aspergillus mould: A. flavus, A. parasiticus and A. nomius. Thus,
Adequate pre- and postharvest management, adequate grain storage and suitable food processing
steps shall be followed to get rid of aflatoxins from ingesting it along with food so that we can
prevent the occurrence of disease with aflatoxins. The result of knowledge, attitude and practice
assessment in this study revealed that, awareness of mold growth and formation of mycotoxin
is very low among house holders, retailers and Farmers
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Keywords
Aflatoxin, Sorghum Injera, Ethiopia, HPLC, Immunoaffinity Column