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The Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja has warned the general public to avoid consumption of food contaminated with aflatoxins.

While addressing journalists at media centre about a countrywide campaign against the prevalence of aflatoxins in food, beverages and feeds in Uganda (Kampala 25/10/2018), the minister said MAAIF warned the public to take precaution on the deadly virus.

He said when food contaminated with aflatoxins is consumed by humans, it increases the risk of getting liver cancer, reduces immunity and causes digestive disorders, low birth weight and impaired child growth.

"It also greatly reduces the quality of agricultural products, which also end up either attracting low prices or being rejected in the local and international markets". He added.

The Minister added that in Uganda, the most affected products are groundnuts, all oil seed cakes such as those from cotton seeds, cereal crops which include millet, sorghum, rice and maize, dried cassava chips, sweet potato chips and silver fish which is commonly referred to as "mukene".

On livestock, the Minister said since grains like maize are also used to make animal and fish feeds, fish and livestock are also affected.

"Animals that consume feeds which are contaminated with aflatoxins produce low-quality meat and milk". The Minister said.

What are aflatoxins?

These are natural compounds produced by a mould known as "Aspergillus flavus" which grows on grains that have been poorly handled by farmers, traders and in some cases consumers. The mould may sometimes not be visible on the affected grains. It means that the grains can develop mould at the level of harvest, storage, transportation or processing, especially in conditions of both high temperatures and high relative humidity.