Comments on: Diverting aflatoxins from humans to less susceptible species

By: J. Heinke

J. Heinke — Thu, 14 May 2015 10:24:37 +0000

Nice idea! Reducing losses in the food system by using livestock as ‘biomass converters’ has great potential.

By: Dirk Hoekstra

Dirk Hoekstra — Thu, 14 May 2015 06:25:31 +0000

In reply to Stuart Worsley. Thanks Stuart for reference to the article on binders. Always prefer to hear about possible solutions rather than problems

By: haltshul

haltshul — Wed, 13 May 2015 07:55:40 +0000

Depending on the countries where you want to promote this, there would probably need to be a policy influencing/advocacy component to the project as well. As Jagger said above, although the maize contamination level is often below the legal limit for animal feed in other countries such as the US, this is not the case in Kenya where the law is very strict and the permitted level is extremely low. Therefore without a change in policy it might be difficult to get buy-in from the private sector.

By: Stuart Worsley

Stuart Worsley — Tue, 12 May 2015 12:20:31 +0000

Nice article evaluates mycotoxin binders at http://www.uwex.edu/ces/dairynutrition/documents/Myco-Maryland-Binders.pdf

Conclusions: There is an excellent potential for binders to help manage the mycotoxin problem. Various materials can bind mycotoxins in feed and thus reduce toxic exposure to consuming animals. No product currently meets all the characteristics for a desirable binder. Mycotoxin control measures may require many approaches. In addition to binders or multiple binders, diets may be treated with other decontamination products. Animals may also be supplemented with antioxidants and other beneficial substances.

Good potential

By: ibaltenweck

ibaltenweck — Mon, 11 May 2015 18:13:55 +0000

I like the idea very much. If no other use is ‘allowed’ for the infected maize, there’s risk it would remain in the human food value chain…
What about private sector involvement?

By: jharvey

jharvey — Mon, 11 May 2015 15:28:48 +0000

This is a pressing issue that we at ILRI really are well positioned to address together in a collaborative effort. In a number of studies that have looked at aflatoxins, when most of the maize (likely the same for other commodities) is over the legal limit for human consumption, most of it is under the legal limit for use as specific types of feeds (in other countries). Commercial millers are also very interested in this and have asked the government to consider differentiating levels so that they can come out with specific product lines and use more of the grains coming to their doors (rather than turning it away and it remaining in the food supply), so they could be partners on this as well. There have also been studies that show that aflatoxin contamination reduces the effectiveness of vaccines in animals, so the vaccine platform could link into this as well, to ensure that legal limits don’t eclipse vaccine effectiveness. There are researchable questions here that could quickly build a local evidence base and translate into removing toxic food to nonetheless be used for food and nutritional security applications.