Maize and maize flour can contain dangerous levels of aflatoxin without showing any visible signs of contamination, experts have warned, raising concerns over food safety across Kenya’s grain supply chain.
Victor Kagot, an expert with the Aflatoxin Proficiency Testing and Control in Africa, said laboratory testing remains the only reliable way to determine whether grain is contaminated.
Speaking during a Cereals Millers Association forum in Nairobi, Kagot said preventing aflatoxin contamination requires action from farmers, traders, transporters, millers, regulators and consumers.
“Food safety is a shared responsibility,” he said.
Kagot warned that contamination can occur at several points along the food chain, beginning with harvesting and drying and continuing through storage, transportation and milling.
Poor handling raises contamination risk
According to Kagot, poor post-harvest handling is among the major risks facing maize and other grains.
He cautioned farmers against drying maize directly on bare soil, saying exposure to soil, moisture and fungi can create conditions that favour the development of aflatoxin.
Harvesting during rainy periods can also increase the risk, particularly for farmers who lack adequate drying facilities.
Grain stored while carrying excessive moisture can develop fungal growth, potentially increasing the risk of aflatoxin contamination.
The challenge is particularly significant for small-scale farmers who may have limited access to modern drying equipment, appropriate storage facilities and affordable laboratory testing.
But the responsibility does not end at the farm.
Kagot said traders, transporters, storage operators and millers also have important roles to play in ensuring grain remains safe as it moves through the supply chain.
He urged maize flour manufacturers to strengthen laboratory testing of grain before it enters the milling process.
Testing can help manufacturers identify contaminated consignments before they are processed and reach consumers.
Aflatoxin poses a public health concern
Kagot warned that highly contaminated food can be dangerous to both humans and animals because aflatoxin is toxic and can cause death.
Long-term exposure has also been associated with liver cancer, making aflatoxin contamination a significant food-safety and public-health concern.
The expert cautioned consumers against assuming that maize or maize flour is safe simply because it looks, smells or tastes normal.
Aflatoxin contamination may not produce obvious changes in the food, meaning visual inspection alone cannot establish whether a product is safe.
This makes proper testing particularly important for grain intended for human and animal consumption.
Kagot also called for greater care in how cases of aflatoxin contamination are reported.
He urged journalists to provide specific information, including the batch number of affected flour where available, to help consumers and authorities identify the products involved.
Identifying the specific batch can also help prevent unnecessary damage to manufacturers where other products from the same company have not been affected.
For manufacturers, contamination can result in lost sales, product recalls or withdrawals, additional testing costs and reputational damage.
Food safety responsibility extends across the chain
Kagot said preventing contamination requires interventions at every stage of the maize supply chain.
Farmers need to adopt safer harvesting, drying and storage practices, while traders and storage operators should ensure grain is kept under appropriate conditions.
Millers, meanwhile, need to test raw materials before processing, while regulators have a responsibility to enforce food-safety standards.
Consumers also need access to reliable information to make informed decisions about the food products they purchase.
The expert said stronger cooperation among farmers, traders, millers, regulators, researchers, journalists and consumers is necessary to reduce the risk posed by aflatoxin.
The warning comes as Kenya continues to rely heavily on maize as a major staple food, making grain safety an important concern for households across the country.
For the maize industry, the message is clear: grain that appears clean is not necessarily free from aflatoxin.
Proper harvesting, drying and storage, combined with laboratory testing before processing, remain critical safeguards in protecting consumers from contaminated maize and maize flour.
