Reduction of aflatoxin in freshly harvested maize using solar dryers.

Background: Aflatoxin-contaminated grain consumption over the years has been known to result in serious health hazards for its consumers. The present study investigated the effects of harvest seasons and drying methods on aflatoxins in freshly harvested maize. A 2 × 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 factorial design was used; two harvesting seasons (dry and wet), maize varieties (P3966W, P4063W and P4226), moisture contents (0.

Oxidative Stress in Extrahepatic Tissues of Rats Co-Exposed to Aflatoxin B1 and Low Protein Diet.

Early life exposure to aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and low protein diet through complementary foods during weaning is common in parts of Africa and Asia. This study evaluated the effect of co-exposure to AFB1 and low protein diet on the extrahepatic tissues of rats. Twenty-four three-week old weanling male albino rats were used for this study and were randomly assigned into four groups: group 1 served as control and was fed normal protein diet (20% protein), group 2 was fed low protein diet (5% protein), group 3 was fed normal protein diet + 40 ppb AFB1 while group 4 received low protein diet + 40 ppb AFB1, all for eight weeks.

Coexistence of Aflatoxicosis with Protein Malnutrition Worsens Hepatic Oxidative Damage in Rats.

To investigate the effects of the coexistence of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and protein malnutrition in rat liver, weanling rats were fed either normal protein diet (20% protein), low-protein (PEM) diet (5%), normal protein diet + 40 ppb AFB1, or low-protein diet + 40 ppb AFB1. After 8 weeks, biomarkers of hepatic functions and oxidative stress, caspase-3 activity, and tumor suppressor protein 53 (p53) were determined spectrophotometrically. Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR) was employed to determine genomic alterations among the groups.