Scientists announce breakthrough in battle against aflatoxin
Date: 11/05/2009
Introduction:
Scientists of the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), Kenya, the United States Department for Agriculture (USDA) and International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, IITA, Nigeria, have developed a safe and natural method that could drastically cut aflatoxin contamination in African food crops by as much as 99 per cent. Under the biocontrol method, native strains of Aspergillus flavus that do not produce aflatoxins (called atoxigenic strains) can be applied in order to alter the fungal community on crops and throughout an area so that maize becomes less contaminated with aflatoxins. Farmers, policy makers, the food and feed industry and various NGOs have expressed their desire and support to convert this technology into a readily-available product in Nigeria and other countries in Africa. (Source: African Science News Service, 30 April 2009)
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