Editorial - ISSUE 75: SPECIAL ILRI ISSUE on "Aflatoxins in Eastern Africa"



AFLATOXINS IN EAST AFRICA: THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING THE FULL PICTURE

Johanna Lindahl1,2*, Delia Grace1,
Jagger Harvey3 and Erastus Kang’ethe4



*Corresponding author: Johanna Lindahl. Email: J.Lindahl@cgiar.org

1International Livestock Research Institute, P.O. Box 30709-00100 Nairobi, Kenya

2Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Clinical Sciences, P.O. Box 7054, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden

3Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, USA

4University of Nairobi, PO Box 29053-00625 Nairobi, Kenya



Aflatoxins are produced by moulds that contaminate a wide range of foods and feeds. Aflatoxin B1 is commonly found in maize and groundnuts, which are staples in Africa, and is a known carcinogen. Aflatoxin M1 is found in the milk of women and lactating animals if their diet is contaminated with aflatoxin B1; it is considered a particular risk to infants and young children as milk is often part of their diet. This is additional to the risk of aflatoxin B1 which has been reported from a variety of complementary and weaning foods in Africa. Although aflatoxins are mainly found in tropical and sub-tropical countries where climatic conditions are conducive to fungal growth, risk of contamination by these toxins may also be increasing in Europe and in other temperate regions as the result of climate change. This special issue of AJFAND is a contribution to better understanding several aspects of the multi-faceted problem of aflatoxins, focused on East Africa. The objectives of the research reported can be broadly categorized as: read more