Aflatoxins, harmful metabolites produced by moulds in crops like maize, pose significant risks to food safety and security, affecting both livestock productivity and human health. The document outlines research objectives focused on assessing aflatoxin levels in crops and animal feeds, as well as the economic impacts on farmers and consumer perceptions. It emphasizes the need for risk assessments, improved detection methods, and policy recommendations to mitigate the effects of aflatoxins.

1. Aflatoxins:
serious
threat
to
food
safety
and
food
security
But
is
it
related
to
livestock?
Johanna
LindahlI,
Jagger
HarveyB
and
Delia
GraceI
I:
Interna9onal
Livestock
Research
Ins9tute(ILRI).
B:
Biosciences
eastern
and
central
Africa
(BecA)-­‐ILRI
Hub
Maize
drying
and
cow
milking
in
Uganda
September
2014
Introduc=on
Aflatoxins
are
hepatotoxic,
carcinogenic
and
immunosuppressing
metabolites
produced
by
moulds,
mainly
Aspergillus
flavus,
growing
on
maize
or
other
crops.
Humans
and
animals
can
get
acute
disease
with
fatali=es
as
well
as
chronic
disease.
• Aflatoxins
are
invisible,
tasteless
and
odourless,
and
can
be
present
in
a
wide
variety
of
crops
• When
animals
eat
the
toxin
they
can
get
sick,
and
they
are
less
produc=ve,
thus
producing
less
food
and
income
for
farmers
• Aflatoxins
are
metabolized
by
the
animals,
and
a
small
part
of
the
metabolites
is
present
in
animal
source
foods
Our
research
approach
and
ques=ons
What
are
the
levels
of
aflatoxin
in
marketed
crops
and
animal
feeds?
What
are
the
levels
of
aflatoxins
in
the
crop
in
the
How
much
of
different
crops
are
being
consumed
by
different
members
in
a
household?
Research
into
use
AB1
AB1
Corn/feed
produced
at
farm
Corn/feed
purchased
Treatments
How
much
is
aflatoxin
cos=ng
the
farmers
in
terms
of
decreased
produc=on
in
animals?
AB1
AM1
Mapping
the
current
knowledge,
dissemina9on
knowledge
• Literature
reviews
and
mapping
• Studies
on
knowledge,
aCtudes
and
prac=ces
• Policy
briefs
for
knowledge
dissemina=on
and
policy
recommenda=ons
Johanna
Lindahl
J.Lindahl@cgiar.org
●
P.O.
Box
30709-­‐00100
Nairobi
Kenya
●
+254
20
422
3000
hVp://aghealth.wordpress.com
●
www.ilri.org
AB1-­‐>
AM1
AM1
Milk
produced
at
farm
Acknowledgements:
The
CGIAR
Research
Program
on
Agriculture
for
Nutri=on
and
Health
(A4NH)
and
the
Interna=onal
Livestock
Research
Ins=tute
(ILRI)
Funding:
Ministry
of
Foreign
Affairs
of
Finland,
MTT
This
document
is
licensed
for
use
under
a
Crea=ve
Commons
AVribu=on
–Non
commercial-­‐Share
Alike
3.0
Unported
License
September
2014
farm?
What
are
the
levels
of
aflatoxins
in
milk?
How
much
milk
is
being
consumed
and
which
family
members
are
at
most
risk?
Addressing
the
knowledge
gaps
• Risk
assessment
for
human
health
• Economic
assessment
of
the
impact
• Consumer
percep=ons
and
willingness
to
pay
• Improved
detec=on
methods
• Improved
risk
mapping
and
forecasts
What
are
the
risks
for
humans
and
animals?
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