title: Natural postharvest aflatoxin occurrence in food legumes in the smallholder farming sector of Zimbabwe.
abstract: Aflatoxins, mainly produced by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, are highly toxic and may lead to health problems such as liver cancer. Exposure to aflatoxins may result from ingestion of contaminated foods. Levels of AFB1, AFB2, AFG1and AFG2in samples of groundnuts (Arachis hypogaea), beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata) and bambara nuts (Vigna subterranean) grown by smallholder farmers in Shamva and Makoni districts, Zimbabwe, were determined at harvesting, using high performance liquid chromatography after immunoaffinity clean-up. Aflatoxins were detected in 12.5% of groundnut samples with concentrations ranging up to 175.9 µg/kg. Aflatoxins were present in 4.3% of the cowpea samples with concentrations ranging from 1.4 to 103.4 µg/kg. Due to alarming levels of aflatoxins detected in legumes versus maximum permissible levels, there is a need to assist smallholder farmers to develop harvest control strategies to reduce contamination of aflatoxins in legumes.
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Food, Nutrition and Family Sciences, Faculty of Science , University of Zimbabwe , Harare , Zimbabwe.
authors.forename: David Tinayeshe
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Maringe
authors.affiliation: b Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science , University of Zimbabwe , Harare , Zimbabwe.
authors.forename: Cathrine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chidewe
authors.affiliation: b Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science , University of Zimbabwe , Harare , Zimbabwe.
authors.forename: Mudadi Albert
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Benhura
authors.affiliation: c Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture , University of Zimbabwe , Harare , Zimbabwe.
authors.forename: Brighton Marimanzi
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Mvumi
authors.affiliation: b Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science , University of Zimbabwe , Harare , Zimbabwe.
authors.forename: Tatenda Clive
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Murashiki
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Food, Nutrition and Family Sciences, Faculty of Science , University of Zimbabwe , Harare , Zimbabwe.
authors.forename: Mavis Precious
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Dembedza
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Food, Nutrition and Family Sciences, Faculty of Science , University of Zimbabwe , Harare , Zimbabwe.
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Siziba
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Food, Nutrition and Family Sciences, Faculty of Science , University of Zimbabwe , Harare , Zimbabwe.
authors.forename: Loveness Kuziwa
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Nyanga
mesh_terms: D000348:Aflatoxins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods*; D010367:Arachis; D001230:Aspergillus; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004032:Diet; D007887:Fabaceae; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005523:Food Supply / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D027805:Phaseolus; D011786:Quality Control; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry*; D000070658:Vigna; D015030:Zimbabwe
chemical_list: D000348:Aflatoxins
keywords: Aflatoxins; Aspergillus flavus; Aspergillus parasiticus; bambara nuts; beans; cowpeas; groundnuts