Risk mitigation of aflatoxin contamination in maize and its food and feed products in developing countries: a review

Abstract

Food safety is key to a health population in the developing countries along the whole value. Maize and its products’ safety from aflatoxin is a concern taking into consideration that they are highly consumed in these countries as their staple food by individuals from different socio- economic levels and upbringings. It’s used to manufacture human foods which include maize flour, grits, porridge, beers among others and animal feeds where their consumption show health benefits such as provision of vitamin B-complex for skin, heart, brain, hair and improved digestion in humans. Aflatoxin exposure from maize products and feeds consumption have been so frequent in alarming rates leading to Aflatoxicosis which is a serious health risks to consumers and livestock, maize grain scarcity and global trade impact therefore nations have set strict threshold limits. Google Scholar database was used in the research of the literature articles that are recent and related to aflatoxin in maize grains. Great emphasis is based on maize grains and feeds’ safety from aflatoxins thus this review is focused on the aflatoxin in maize in terms of research on recent toxicity data, maize contamination impacts, mitigation measures research on safe methods that can’t lead to risks due to further contamination with harmful residuals and the future interventions from the literature that should be installed considering that maize is the main food in Sub- Saharan Africa. Therefore, available mitigations are applicable and hence the government relevant bodies are required to enforce strict measures on their application while enhancing a favorable environment to partners who would be available in installation of the future predicted measures.