Mycotoxin contamination of home-grown maize in rural northern South Africa (Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces) |
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| Authors: | P Mngqawa GS Shephard IR Green SH Ngobeni TC de Rijk |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Mycotoxicology and Chemoprevention Research Group, Institute of Biomedical and Microbial Biotechnology, Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), Cape Town, South Africa;2. Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science, De Beers Chemistry Building, University of Stellenbosch (US), Stellenbosch, South Africa;3. Agricultural Sciences Discipline, University of Mpumalanga (UMP), Nelspruit, South Africa;4. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs (DARDLEA), Ermelo, South Africa;5. RIKILT, Wageningen UR, Wageningen, The Netherlands |
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| Abstract: | The aim of this study was to assess mycotoxin contamination of crops grown by rural subsistence farmers over two seasons (2011 and 2012) in two districts, Vhembe District Municipality (VDM, Limpopo Province) and Gert Sibande District Municiality (GSDM, Mpumalanga Province), in northern South Africa and to evaluate its impact on farmers’ productivity and human and animal health. A total of 114 maize samples were collected from 39 households over the two seasons and were analysed using a validated liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry mycotoxins method. Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) occurrence ranged from 1 to 133 µg kg?1 in VDM while AFB1 levels in GSDM were less than 1.0 µg kg?1 in all maize samples. Fumonisin B1 levels ranged from 12 to 8514 µg kg?1 (VDM) and 11–18924 µg kg?1 (GSDM) in 92% and 47% positive samples, respectively, over both seasons. Natural occurrence and contamination with both fumonisins and aflatoxins in stored home-grown maize from VDM was significantly (p < 0.0001) higher than from GSDM over both seasons. |
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| Keywords: | Maize multi-mycotoxin aflatoxins fumonisins liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) subsistence farmers |
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