Alejandro Ortega-Beltran

Background – what are aflatoxins and their impactsAflatoxins are highly toxic compounds produced by certain strains of Aspergillus fungi, particularly A. flavus and A. parasiticus. These toxins, regulated at very low levels (parts per billion, ppb), affect several staple and cash crops in many countries in Africa, including maize, groundnut, sorghum, and chilies. In tropical and subtropical ...

1. IntroductionIn Uganda, maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important crops in terms of production, consumption, and income generation. Because of its relevance, maize was one of the food security crops–and the only cereal–selected by the Ministry of Animal Industry and Fisheries of Uganda to implement a 5-year, multi-million USD agricultural intervention as part of the Developmen ...

1. IntroductionIn most sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), chili peppers are an important ingredient to prepare a large array of traditional dishes [1]. Consumption of high quantities of chili peppers is associated with health benefits, including disease prevention [2,3]. However, chili peppers in SSA are frequently contaminated with aflatoxins by Aspergillus section Flavi fungi [4,5]. Aflatoxins are highly ...

1. IntroductionAflatoxins are highly toxic and carcinogenic compounds produced by Aspergillus flavus and closely related fungi in several crops [1]. Maize (Zea mays L.) and groundnut (Arachis hypogea L.) are amongst the most susceptible crops. Crop contamination with these potent compounds negatively affects both human and animal health, the income of farmers, and trade opportunities [2–4]. ...