1. Aflatoxin Outlook in Mozambique
Prepared for COMESA aflatoxin workshop in Malawi
Joao Augusto, Ranajit Bandyopadhyay, Juliet Akello, Joseph Atehnkeng
March 11, Lilongwe, Malawi

2. Outline Background information about aflatoxins in Mozambique
Aflatoxin regulations and monitoring in Mozambique
Ongoing research and technology options
Gaps to be addressed

3. Background Information about aflatoxins in Mozambique
Late 1970’s – Intake of aflatoxin contaminated food, especially from groundnut, linked to high prevalence of liver cancer in Southern Mozambique
Late 1990’s to date – Rejection of groundnut and groundnut products by the EU for exceeding aflatoxin legal limits

4. Background Information about aflatoxins in Mozambique
Notifications of Mozambican groundnut products by EU market:
Date
Product type
Notification type
Subject
5/2/2007
food
alert
aflatoxins (B1 = 12; Tot. = 14.2 µg/kg - ppb) in peanut kernels from Mozambique
3/19/2007
information
aflatoxins (B1 = 44.6; Tot. = 57.0 µg/kg - ppb) in groundnuts from Mozambique
6/11/2007
aflatoxins (B1 = 4.8; Tot. = 7.5 µg/kg - ppb) in groundnut kernels from Mozambique via the United Kingdom and via the Netherlands
4/7/2009
border rejection
aflatoxins (B1 = 34.5; Tot. = 52.2 / B1 = 3.1; Tot. = 3.6 µg/kg - ppb) in peanuts from Mozambique
aflatoxins (B1 = 6.7; Tot. = 18.9 / B1 = 0.9; Tot. = 4.6 / B1 = 1.9; Tot. = 4.4 µg/kg - ppb) in peanuts from Mozambique
12/30/2009
feed
aflatoxins (B1 = 120 mg/kg - ppm) in groundnuts for birdseed from Mozambique
Source: RASFF portal, 2011

5. Background Information about aflatoxins in Mozambique
Late 1970’s – Intake of aflatoxin contaminated food, especially from groundnut, linked to high prevalence of liver cancer in Southern Mozambique
Late 1990’s to date – Rejection of groundnut and groundnut products by the EU for exceeding aflatoxin legal limits
Survey in 2013 – identification of aflatoxin hot-spot areas for maize and groundnut in central and northern Mozambique (USAID-Moz grant)

6. Outline Background information about aflatoxins in Mozambique
Aflatoxin regulations and monitoring in Mozambique
Ongoing research and technology options
Gaps to be addressed

7. Aflatoxin regulations and monitoring in Mozambique
According to FAO (1994) – There are aflatoxin regulations in Mozambique (but not enforced)
Universidade Lurio (UniLurio) in northern Mozambique – Aflatoxin testing and monitoring for different crops (but the lab is not accredited)
Madal Ltd in central Mozambique – private company working with some 3,000 groundnut farmers (sorting and aflatoxin testing for the farmers)

8. Outline Background information about aflatoxins in Mozambique
Aflatoxin regulations and monitoring in Mozambique
Ongoing research and technology options
Gaps to be addressed

9. Aflatoxin surveillance in Mozambique
Conducted at harvest, May-June, 2013
In Northern and Central regions, but with emphasis to Nacala Corridor
Selection criteria for the locations: (a) maize and groundnut in the same area (but sampling will be as far as possible from each sampling point); (b) number of districts in each province; (c) distribution in altitude; (d) cropping systems; and (e) accessibility
Materials: “Sampling procedures” for survey, “Sampling questionnaires” for each survey group, colored-printed and laminated mycotoxin factsheets in Portuguese, GPS handsets, etc

10. Objectives of the surveillance
Estimate magnitude of aflatoxins
Determine geographic distribution of aflatoxins
Facilitate planning

11. Determine magnitude of aflatoxins

12. Determine magnitude of aflatoxins

13. Frequency of aflatoxin negatives (%)
Distribution of aflatoxins: by region
Crop
Region
Frequency of aflatoxin negatives (%)
Frequency of aflatoxin positives
(%)
Aflatoxin concentration range
(ppb)
Groundnut
NORTHERN
40.7 (n=110)
59.3
(n=137)
0.0 – 5,673.5
CENTRAL
33.3
(n=12)
66.7
(n=24)
0.0 – 710.7
Maize
47.1 (n=111)
52.9
(n=92)
0.0 – 687.1
40.0
(n=45)
60.0
(n=62)
0.0 – 160.1

14. Distribution of aflatoxins: by province
Crop
Province
Freq. aflatoxin negatives
(%)
Freq. aflatoxin positives
Aflatoxin concentration range
(ppb)
Groundnut
NIASSA
53.8 (n=14)
46.2 (n=12)
0.0 – 5,673.5
NAMPULA
45.7 (n=91)
54.3 (n=108)
0.0 – 3,121.2
ZAMBEZIA
46.2 (n=6)
53.8 (n=7)
0.0 – 710.7
CABO DELGADO
22.7 (n=5)
77.3 (n=17)
0.0 – 83.4
MANICA
28.6 (n=2)
71.4 (n=5)
0.0 – 9.0
TETE
25.0 (n=4)
75.0 (n=12)
0.0 – 6.0
Maize
58.0 (n=69)
42.0 (n=50)
0.0 – 687.1
52.8 (n=19)
47.2 (n=17)
0.0 – 160.1
26.3 (n=5)
73.7 (n=14)
0.0 – 133.5
56.9 (n=37)
43.1 (n=28)
0.0 – 117.0
34.0 (n=18)
66.0 (n=35)
0.0 – 46.8
33.3 (n=5)
66.7 (n=10)
0.0 – 27.0

15. Distribution of aflatoxins: by levels
% g’dnut samples at harvest (n=283)
% maize samples at harvest (n=307)
crop
Frequency aflatoxin at harvest in Northern region (%)
Frequency aflatoxin at harvest in Central region (%)
 4 ppb
 20 ppb
 20 ppb
G’dnut
(n=156)
(n=187)
(n=60)
(n=24)
(n=34)
(n=2)
Maize
(n=141)
(n=196)
(n=7)
(n=54)
(n=95)
(n=9)

16. Awareness raising about aflatoxins

17. Outline Background information about aflatoxins in Mozambique
Aflatoxin regulations and monitoring in Mozambique
Ongoing research and technology options
Gaps to be addressed

18. Identifying, selecting atoxigenic strains for aflatoxin biocontrol
More than 400 atoxigenic L-strains of Aspergillus flavus identified from maize and groundnut
Most competitive and widely distributed atoxigenic strains, with no toxigenic member in their VCG groups, will be selected
Selected 8-12 VCG strains to be formulated in aflasafe-Moz biocontrol products for testing in farmers’ fields in 2014 crop growing season

19. Outline Background information about aflatoxins in Mozambique
Aflatoxin regulations and monitoring in Mozambique
Ongoing research and technology options
Gaps to be addressed

20. Gaps to be addressed
Infrastructure and human capacity building, polices
Equipping and certifying laboratories
 Recruiting and training Mozambican technicians and students
 Awareness raising
 Advocacy, regulations and enforcement

21. Donors & Partners
Dr. Peter Cotty – USDA-FAS at University of Arizona-Tucson