Liver cancer risks associated with consumption of groundnuts and maize contaminated with Aflatoxins in Eastern Uganda

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Regular consumption of food contaminated with aflatoxins is associated with the prevalence of liver cancer in humans. Aflatoxin contamination of food occurs because of poor handling practices during drying, storage and processing. The cancer risk for children and adults, who consume contaminated maize and groundnut products with aflatoxins, was assessed. Materials and Methods: he level of aflatoxin was assessed using enzyme Enzyme-linked Linked immunosorbent Immunosorbent assay Assay. Cancer risk was characterized using margin of exposure and hepatocellular carcinoma risk. Results: The level of aflatoxins ranged from 2.94– to 3.38 μg/kg in groundnuts and 2.25– to 2.38 μg/kg in maize grains. Groundnut pastes and maize flours included aflatoxin levels of 2.12– to 2.53 μg/kg and 1.51– to 1.54 μg/kg, respectively. The quantities of aflatoxin in groundnuts and maize grains were correspondingly higher than those in the pastes and flours. Levels of aflatoxin were less than the maximum limit of 10 μg/kg, set by the East African Community. The margin of exposure of 9.90–185.76 was less than the safety margin of 10000 for aflatoxin exposure in foods. The hepatocellular carcinoma risk varied between 0.94– and 49.86 cases/100,000 individuals/y with the values for children of being 2– to 3 times higher than the World Health Organization acceptable level of one cancer case/y/100,000 individuals. Conclusions: Consumption of groundnut and maize products in Eastern Uganda is greatly a concern and should be prioritized as a public health problem.