RATIN

Curb toxins in food crops

Posted on July, 26, 2021 at 09:54 am


We have heard it from the horse’s mouth. The Principal Secretary for Agriculture, Prof Hamadi Boga, has conceded that many Kenyans may have by now consumed the staple food, ugali, with unusually high levels of aflatoxin contamination.

The people have been ingesting poison while enjoying their favourite meal, which in most families is taken twice every day – for lunch and supper. The exposure in some areas is higher, as the families also have porridge for breakfast.

According to Prof Boga, the Ministry of Health ascertained that 176,265 bags of maize weighing 90kg each had high levels of aflatoxin and were, therefore, unfit for human consumption.

Some 51,640 bags were released to consumers in May 2019, putting their lives in grave danger. On the spot once again is the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB), which has in the past come under severe criticism for buying and selling contaminated imported maize.

Proper storage is critical

In this particular case, the Auditor-General’s report has flagged the NCPB’s role in the sale to the national strategic reserve of six million condemned bags of maize at a cost of Sh10.4 billion to cushion Kenyans from hunger. 

It is common knowledge that maize is affected by aflatoxin contamination due to poor drying and storage. Such maize contains higher moisture, which encourages the growth of the toxin-producing moulds.

Consuming high levels of aflatoxin can cause illness or even death. Aflatoxin can cause liver cancer and other illnesses. Proper storage is critical, especially for grains such as maize. A nationwide surveillance should be conducted to identify where the bad stocks are and have them destroyed to avert the risk.

However, it is unfair for farmers to work so hard only for their crops to go to waste after harvesting due to toxins. The agricultural authorities should streamline crop production and marketing to eliminate these dangers and enhance food security.

 

Source: Nation