Aflatoxin contamination and exposure in processed cereal-based complementary foods for infants and young children in greater Accra, Ghana

In the study, afiatoxin levels were assessed in thirty five (35) cereal-based food products intended for infants and young children. Additionally, the results showed that 71% of the processed foods intended for infants contained AFB1 (0.18 +/- 0.01 to 36.10 +/- 0.32 mu gkg(-1)) levels higher than the European Union permissible limits of 0.1 mu g kg(-1). Aflatoxin intake was estimated using afiatoxin levels in the food products and the estimated individual consumption rates. The study also revealed mixed cereals as having the highest intake of afiatoxin B-1 contaminants (0.005-0.852 mu gkg(-1) bwd(-1); 0.004 -0.657 mu g/kg(-1)bwd(-1)) with mean estimated daily intake (EDI) of 0.23 +/- 0.16 mu gkg(-1) bwd(-1) and 0.153 +/- 0.13 mu gkg(-1) bwd(-1) for infants and young children respectively. The estimated AFT intake recorded for infants and young children for all the cereal-based food ranged from 0.005 to 1.054 mu gkg(-1) bwd(-1) and 0.004-0.838 mu gkg(-1)bwd(-1) respectively. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.