Aflatoxin contamination and exposure along the peanut value chain

in HaitiDan Brown, Professor

Jeremy Schwartzbord, PhD Candidate Department of Animal Science, Cornell University

Key Points1. Brief review of aflatoxin (AF) toxicity,

occurrence, global exposure, and economic implications

2. AF Contamination from 2005-20153. Studies of urban and rural AF Exposure4. Future research

Aflatoxins: structure and dietary occurrence

Photo of Aspergillus flavus courtesy of Santiago Mideros, lab of Rebecca Nelson

A. flavus (et al.) on peanuts

Aflatoxins: toxicity and health effects

● Hepatocarcinogen● Synergy with hepatitis B virus● Associations with immune dysfunction and

stunting in children

Global Human Exposure to Aflatoxins

Location Detection rate (total subjects)

Reference

Ashanti region, Ghana 91.2% (91) (Jolly et al., 2006)

Sao Paulo, Brazil 65% (69) (Romero et al., 2010)

Lower Kindia, Guinea 64% (50) (Polychronaki et al., 2008)

Qidong, China 54% (145) (Sun et al., 1999)

Nile Delta region, Egypt 48% (93) (Piekkola et al., 2012)

Quartier Morin, Haiti 22% (241) (Schwartzbord 2015)

Shanghai, China 21% (317) (Qian et al., 1994)

Nasarawa and Kaduna states, Nigeria

14.2% (120) (Ezekiel et al., 2014)

Western Cameroon 14% (220) (Njumbe Ediage et al., 2013)

Port au Prince, Haiti 14% (214) (Schwartzbord 2015)

Bangkok, Thailand 5% (60) (Warth et al., 2014)

Regulatory standards and economic impacts of aflatoxins

Regulatory Standard Limit for peanut, direct human consumption (μg/kg)

US Food and Drug Admin

20

European Union 4

FAO Codex 10

Regulatory standards and economic impacts of aflatoxins

Type of economic cost Impact/Cost Study

Health relatedCausative role in 4.6-28.2% of global liver cancer cases

Liu and Wu (2010)

Market rejection$500 million/yr in USA Vardon et al. (2003)

Animal health impact

Cost of management$20-50 million/yr in USA

Robens and Cardwell (2003)

Key Points1. Brief review of aflatoxin (AF) toxicity,

occurrence, global exposure, and economic implications

2. AF Contamination from 2005-20153. Studies of urban and rural AF Exposure4. Future research

What do we currently know about AF contamination in Haiti?

Origin of raw peanuts and peanut butters tested for aflatoxins: 2005-2015

Methods of aflatoxin testing by Acceso, Cornell and MFK

Samples Tested by AflatestSamples Tested Agristrip and

Aflatest

Aflatoxin analysis by testing organization

Why is this a problem?

Aflatoxin concentration (ppb)

Economic: >20 ppb AF, limited export opportunities

Public health: more aflatoxin exposure, greater public health risks

Aflatoxin concentration (ppb)

Key Points1. Brief review of aflatoxin (AF) toxicity,

occurrence, global exposure, and economic implications

2. AF Contamination from 2005-20153. Studies of urban and rural AF Exposure4. Future research

ANOVA of detectable aflatoxin-lysine among Port-au-Prince patients ingesting peanuts

ANOVA of detectable aflatoxin-lysine among Port-au-Prince patients ingesting maize

AF Exposure in Port-au-Prince and a rural community in Quartier Morin, Haiti

x urines from 367 patients

Sample collection during 2012 and 2013

Peanut consumption was significantly predictive of detection of urinary AFM1

Non-dairy animal-sourced food consumption was predictive of detection of urinary AFM1

Key Points1. Brief review of aflatoxin (AF) toxicity,

occurrence, global exposure, and economic implications

2. AF Contamination from 2005-20153. Studies of urban and rural AF Exposure4. Current and Future research

Monitoring exposure to other mycotoxins

Gerding, Ali, Schwartzbord, Cramer, Brown, Degen, Humpf. (2015). Mycotoxin Research.

Take responsibility for rejected peanuts or stop sorting them

1. Why?

2. How?

3. Technically Feasible?

4. Culturally and Economically Feasible?

Take responsibility for rejected peanuts or stop sorting them

1. Burn them2. Rehabilitate them3. Divide into groups:

A. Lowest [AF] : Use as feed for animals B. Moderate [AF] : Clean, then use for animalsC. High [AF] : Grind with shells, form patties with cassava starch glue, burn with charcoal to recover energy from oil and shells.D. Very High [AF] : Burn them

Take responsibility for rejected peanuts or stop sorting them

A. Lowest [AF] : 20-100ppb* ? (Or lower?)B. Moderate [AF] : 100 to 600 ppb ? (Or lower?)C. High [AF] : 600ppb-1000ppbD. Very High [AF] : > 1000ppb

• <20ppb for people and dairy animals

Current and future research these figures:Poultry and cattle trials with peanut-based dietsImproved fuel patties, oil and marketing tests

Feasible interventions for farmers and food processors to minimize aflatoxin exposure

from peanuts

disease- and drought-resistant seed

varieties Fuel patties from highly contaminated kernels

Ethanol-rinsed oil

Ethanol-rinsed peanut meal for chicken feed

BIG PICTURE: Management of mycotoxin contamination in Haiti and beyond

IMPROVED PUBLIC HEALTH

FOOD SAFETY

FOOD SECURITY AND VALUE CHAINS

RESOURCE-LIMITED SYSTEM:

FARMERS,FOOD PROCESSORS,

REGULATORY AGENCIES

Questions?Thank you

Peanut and press cake triage

>800ppb: Grind up with shells and/or rejected whole peanuts and form raw briquettes. Don't waste time trying to clean it up.

>100ppb but <800ppb: Press out oil. Rinse press cake with 50% ethanol/water (and 0 to 0.9% NaCl). Rinse with water, filter through cheesecloth, dewater, dry, and, if reduced to <100ppb use in poultry and swine grower rations.

>20ppb but <100ppb: Can be used directly for poultry and swine feed mixtures.

>20ppb but <80ppb: Can be rinsed for milk goat, cow feed and human food.

<20 ppb: Direct human or dairy use.

Oil:

>100ppb: Filter and use as SRVO in diesel engines

>20ppb but <100ppb: Filter and strip with ethanol for human use.

<20ppb: Human use

Always retest end product aflatoxin content before use as feed or food!

Here are some things UFl/Cornell has accomplished so far this fiscal year:

 

Peer Reviewed Publications:

Schwartzbord, Jeremy, Dan Brown and Linda Severe. 2015 Detection of trace aflatoxin M1 in human urine using a commercial ELISA followed by HPLC Biomarkers: In Press

 

Gerding, J., A. Nurshad, J. Schwartzbord, B. Cramer, D. Brown, G. Degen, H-U Humpf. 2015. A comparative study of the human urinary mycotoxin excretion patterns in Bangladesh, Germany and Haiti using a rapid and sensitive LC-MS/MS approach. Mycotoxin Research. 

 

Schwartzbord, Jeremy, H. and Dan L. Brown. 2015 Aflatoxin Contamination in Haitian Peanut Products and Maize and the Safety and Efficacy of Oil Produced from Contaminated Peanuts . Food Control 56 (2015) 114-118.

 

Schwartzbord JR, Brown DL, Pape J, Verdier R, Filbert ME, Wang JS. 2014. Aflatoxin-lysine adducts in Haitian patients ingesting peanut and maize products. J Hunger Environ Nutr 9 (2):244-255

 

Jeremy R. Schwartzbord, Evens Emmanuel, Dan L. Brown. 2013. Haiti’s food and drinking water: A review of toxicological health risks

Clinical Toxicology. 51: 828-833. (last fiscal year, but may not have made last annual report)

 

Peer Reviewed Publications submitted or in final draft:

 

Schwartzbord, JR, and DL Brown 2015. Urinary aflatoxin M1 among adults and children in Port-au-Prince and a rural community in northeast Haiti.

 

Other Publications:

 

Okudaira, Mana. 2015. Ethanol Extraction of Aflatoxin from Contaminated Peanut Meal and the Effects on Broiler Chick Fed Diets Using Ethanol Extracted Peanut Meal. Honors Thesis Cornell University

 

McDonough, Julianne Bould. 2015.  Evaluation of Immunosuppressive Effects of Aflatoxin in Broiler Chickens. Honors Thesis Cornell University

 

Schwartzbord, JR. 2015. Aflatoxin Contamination, Human Exposure, and Opportunities in the Haitian Peanut Value Chain. PhD Dissertation Cornell University

 

Other accomplishments so far this fiscal year:

 

Established excellent working relationship with iF Foundation, upgraded lab and power supply, taught research techniques to animal research staff at iF.

 

Established new mycotoxin lab at iF Foundation at Coronel, Haiti. Taught mycotoxin laboratory to technician Gertrude Rollin at iF.

 

Set up a Research/Teaching mycotoxin lab at Faculte Agricultaire et medecine veterinaire (FAMV) in Bon Repos. With Professor Lemane Delva, I taught the students in the HACCP course and lab techs to use the equipment and they helped assemble and set up the equipment with us. We will visit soon after Delva and his research staff have more practice with the lab to make final adjustments and do some recovery and split sample challenges. Joint research projects are in planning stages.

 

Completed broiler trial with various rejected-peanut-based diets at iF Foundation: (growth, mortality, tissue carry-over of aflatoxin)

 

Completed broiler trial with rejected-peanut-based diets at

 

Cornell University (growth, mortality, tissue carry-over of aflatoxin, immunology, gross and fine morphology of vital organs).

 

Analytical support consultations with MFK and iF.

 

 

Coming attractions:

 

Follow-up broiler and laying hen trials with discarded peanut-based diets at iF.

 

Establishment of Research/Teaching mycotoxin lab at FAMV in Port au Prince with Lemane Delva.

 

Follow-up immunosuppression trial at Cornell.

 

Ruminant aflatoxin carry-over trial at Cornell.

 

Commercialization of fuel patties by women entrepreneurs in Northern Haiti.

Improving and fine-tuning analytical lab performance in Haiti