Dietary exposure to aflatoxin and fumonisin among Tanzanian children as determined using biomarkers of exposure

• Published in: Molecular nutrition & food research 2013-10, Vol.57 (10), p.1874-1881
• Main Authors: Shirima, Candida P., Kimanya, Martin E., Kinabo, Joyce L., Routledge, Michael N., Srey, Chou, Wild, Christopher P., Gong, Yun Yun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aflatoxin; Aflatoxins - blood; Aflatoxins - toxicity; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers - blood; Biomarkers - urine; Biomarkers of exposure; Children; Chromatography, Liquid; Diet; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Exposure assessment; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Food Contamination - analysis; Food Microbiology; Fumonisin; Fumonisins - toxicity; Fumonisins - urine; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Infant; Linear Models; Male; Mass Spectrometry; Medical sciences; Multivariate Analysis; Plant poisons toxicology; Tanzania; Toxicology; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Weaning; Zea mays - chemistry; Zea mays - microbiology
• ISSN: 1613-4125; 1613-4133
• DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.201300116

Scope The study aims to evaluate the status of dietary exposure to aflatoxin and fumonisin in young Tanzanian children, using previously validated biomarkers of exposure. Methods and results A total of 148 children aged 12–22 months, were recruited from three geographically distant villages in Tanzania; Nyabula, Kigwa, and Kikelelwa. Plasma aflatoxin‐albumin adducts (AF‐alb) and urinary fumonisin B1 (UFB1) were measured by ELISA and LC‐MS, respectively. AF‐alb was detectable in 84% of children, was highest in fully weaned children (p < 0.01) with higher levels being associated with higher maize intake (p < 0.05). AF‐alb geometric mean (95% CI) was 43.2 (28.7–65.0), 19.9 (13.5–29.2), and 3.6 (2.8–4.7) pg/mg albumin in children from Kigwa, Nyabula, and Kikelelwa, respectively. UFB1 was detectable in 96% of children and the level was highest in children who had been fully weaned (p < 0.01). The geometric UFB1 mean (95% CI) was 327.2 (217.1–493.0), 211.7 (161.1–278.1), and 82.8 (58.3–117.7) pg/mL in Kigwa, Nyabula, and Kikelelwa, respectively. About 82% of all the children were exposed to both mycotoxins. Conclusion Young children in Tanzania are chronically exposed to both aflatoxin and fumonisin through contaminated diet, although the level of exposure varies markedly between the three villages studied.