aflasafe a highly effective biocontrol product for mitigating aflatoxin in africa iu fo-st...

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Aflasafe:

a highly effective biocontrol product

for mitigating aflatoxin in Africa

Akello Juliet

On behalf of the Aflasafe Team

17th World Congress of Food Science and Technology

(IUFoST), 16th August, Montreal, Canada,

International Institute of Tropical Agriculture


Presentation outline

Aflatoxin: ingredients & status in sub-Saharan Africa

Biocontrol principle

Aflasafe

What it is & mechanism of action

Efficacy in sub-Saharan Africa

Future research


Food security & mycotoxin

Food Security exists when all people, at all times, have physical

and economic access to sufficient, safe & nutritious food to meet

their dietary needs and food preferences for an active

(productive) and healthy life.

Food safety: microbial contaminants (mycotoxins) is a threat to

food quality, safety & security.

Children are most prone to ill-effects of unsafe food

Fungus is common & widespread

fungus in soil & decaying matter

Affects several crops

Fungus is sometimes visible, toxin

is not

Aspergillus

Aflatoxin: what is known

Aflatoxin contamination: causative agents

A. parasiticus

+++++

A. flavus S- strain A. flavus L- strain

- / +


Aflatoxin: what is known

Phase 1: Before crop maturity

a. Developing crop becomes infected

b. Linked to crop damage (pests,

drought stress)

Phase 2: After crop maturity

a. May occur before or after harvest

b. Toxin levels may increase during

storage

c. Grain is vulnerable till consumed

Occurs in 2 phases


Aflatoxin prevalence in SSA: status

Country Maize Groundnut Reference

Kenya 12000 >15000 Ngindu et al. 1982; Mwihia et al. 2008; Mutegi et al. 2009

Uganda 1000 >1000 Kaaya et al. 2006

Zambia 255 >5300 Mukanga et al. 2009; ICRISAT/ IITA data

Mozambique 687 >5600 Van Wyk et al. 1999; IITA data

Senegal 852 > 1000 Wild et al. 1993; Diedhiou et al. 2011

Maximum aflatoxin levels (ppb) detected in maize & groundnuts,

sampled from selected SSA countries


Aflatoxin problem in SSA:

ingredients

a) Favorable climate b) Susceptible crops

35°

35°

Aflatoxin problem in SSA: ingredients

Late harvest

c) Poor pre- & post- harvest handling procedures


ingredients c) Poor pre- & post- harvest handling procedures

Poor drying techniques Poor storage


ingredients

Informal marketing systems

Inadequate regulatory systems

d) Inadequate food systems & lack of awareness

Mothers´ awareness about the invisible enemy- Àflatoxin`

Aware 33%

Unaware 77%


Aflatoxin manageent in SSA: what

is being done?

Governments

a. Ministry of Agriculture

b. Ministry of public health &

sanitation

c. National Bureaus of standards

d. Public universities

NGOs

COMESA USDA CDC

CIMMYT IITA CRS

ILRI/BECA PACA WFP

ICRISAT ACDI/VOCA IFPRI

AATF TECHNOSERVE

Institutions involved

Aflatoxin biocontrol in SSA

Involves the introduction of

carefully selected atoxigenic

A. flavus strains that can

outcompete their toxigenic

cousins.


Biocontrol of aflatoxin: principle

Species/strain B aflatoxin

G aflatoxin

A. flavus „L-strains‟ +/- -

A. flavus „S-strains‟ + -

A. flavus „SBG strains‟ + +

A. parasiticus + +

A. nomius + +

A. tamarii - -

“Competitive exclusion principle”:

Field application of atoxigenic L–strains outcompetes & shifts fungal

community structure from toxigenic to atoxigenic ones

incid

en

ce o

f to

xig

en

ic

str

ain

s (

%)

100

75

50

25

0

natural biocontrol

ato

xig

enic

toxig

enic

Aflasafe

What is AflaSafe?

Mixture of 4 atoxigenic native

strains of A. Flavus

Strains are coated on

sterilized sorghum grains

Fungal isolation

Aflasafe: product development

Developed by IITA in collaboration with:

Agriculture Research Service - USDA

University of Bonn

National research partners

Involves several steps

Isolation: > 4000 strains of Aspergillus spp

genetic profiling (SSR)

sequencing (aflatoxin and CPA)

VCG profiling

competition bioassays

step 2 step 3


Characterization

12 safe & effective

atoxigenic strains

selected for field

testing

Strain selection criteria:

Non- toxin producer

Superior capacity to colonize,

multiply & survive

Superior field efficacy in

reducing aflatoxin

Wide geographical distribution


4 native strains formulated

into a registered product


National Products

Products ready for registration

Products under testing

Strain development in progress

Senegal Mali

Burkina

Ghana

Nigeria

Kenya

Tanzania

Mozambique

Zambia

7 countries

Aflasafe-Nigeria

Aflasafe-Senegal

Aflasafe-Kenya

Aflasafe-Zambia

Aflasafe-Mozambique

Etc

Others: Malawi, Uganda, Rwanda

Aflasafe: current status in SSA

Aflasafe

How does AflaSafe work?

Aflasafe: how does it work?

Field application

Rate: 10 kg/ha

Time: 2-3 weeks before

flowering or 30-40 d.a.e

Method: broadcast or

side dress (mainly for

groundnuts)

Katete DWDA farmers apply aflasafe (groundnut farm)

Farmer broadcasts aflasafe (maize)

Aflasafe: how does it work?

Sporulation & colonization of moist soil

3-20 days

Inoculum on sorghum grain

carrier

30-33 grains m-2

Spores carried by wind & insects

Aflasafe

Does AflaSafe work?


Aflasafe efficacy: strain shift in

the soil

Incidence of Aspergillus strains in soil before treatment & crop at harvest


Aflasafe efficacy (Senegal)

Village Fields Aflatoxin concentration (ppb) Reduction (%)

Aflasafe control

Diourbel 19 1.9 29.7 93

Nioro 19 4.4 17.6 75

Mean 87

Overall % reduction in B-aflatoxin levels in treated fields (2010)



Aflasafe Control

Maigana 22 17 646 99

Pampaida 10 9 171 95

Lere 9 49 271 82

Birnin 10 14 96 85

Mean 90


Aflasafe efficacy (Nigeria)


Aflasafe efficacy (Kenya)



Aflasafe control

Holla 40 19.6 885.2 98

Bura 40 3.9 92.1 96

Kitui 27 74.0 1133.0 93

Mean 96


Aflasafe efficacy

Overall % reduction in aflatoxin levels in treated fields, Zambia (2013)

Crop Fields Aflatoxin concentration (ppb) Reduction (%)

Aflasafe control

Maize 20 1.0 5.9 83.7

Groundnut 20 8.5 76.0 88.8

Mean 86


Aflasafe efficacy: carry over effect

Protects the crop in the field and during storage

71% and 52% carry-over of inoculum 1 & 2 years after application

Aflatoxin reduction (%)

Stage Maize Groundnut

2009 2010 2011 2012 2009 2010 2011

Harvest 82 94 83 93 - 95 82

Storage 92 93 x x 100 80 x


National vs. Regional Approach

Aflasafe-WestTM

Aflasafe-EastTM

Aflasafe-SouthTM

Aflasafe-Nigeria

Aflasafe-Senegal

Aflasafe-Kenya

Aflasafe-Zambia

Aflasafe-Mozambique

Aflasafe: What next?


Awareness creation and training on aflatoxin monitoring and

management

Further field efficacy trials, registration, licensing & stewardship

Financing and implementation of a manufacturing facility – Public-

Private Partnership

Impact assessment

Create a sustainable system where small holder farmers have

access to Aflasafe & are incentivized to utilize Aflasafe for

aflatoxin control

Aflatoxin management in SSA: What next?

Summary

Aflatoxins in food and feed pervasive in Africa

Biological control & other management practices can dramatically

reduce aflatoxin contamination

BUT, more work required on fitness in cropping systems, formulation

refinement, strain replacement to improve efficacy

Efforts underway to pilot commercialization of aflatoxin biocontrol

Support & partnership needed from national governments,

regulators, donors/ investors, private food sector and farmer groups

Africa-wide Initiative on Aflatoxin biocontrol can improve health & income of African people

Aflasafe: Research Team

www.aflasafe.com

Bandyopadhyay Ranajit IITA-Nigeria

Atehnkeng Joseph IITA-Nigeria

Mutegi Charity IITA-Kenya

Augusto Joao IITA-Mozambique

Senghor A. Lamine IITA-Senegal

Akello Juliet IITA-Zambia

Cotty J. Peter USDA/UA-U.S.A

Mukanga Mweshi ZARI-Zambia

Njapau Henry NISIR-Zambia

Etc.

Aflasafe: Partners

AATF

ACDI/VOCA

ADA

Ag Dev Program, Nigeria

Animal Care, Nigeria

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Dalberg Institute

Doreo Partners

DPV, Senegal

FAES

Government of Mozambique

GIZ

ICRISAT

IFAR

INERA, Burkina Faso KARI, Kenya

KEPHIS, Kenya

KNUST, Ghana

Livestock Feed PLC, Nigeria

Maize Association of Nigeria

Manufacturers Association of Nigeria

Meridien Institute

Mikocheni, Tanzania

Millennium Village Program, Nigeria

Ministry of Agriculture, Kenya

Ministry of Health, Nigeria

NAFDAC, Nigeria

NEPAD Business Group

Nestle

Nigerian Economic Summit Group

Nigerian Export Promotion Council

Nigerian Mycotoxin Society

NISIR, Zambia

PQPS, Zambia

Sokoine University, Tanzania

Tulln, Austria

UNIDO

Université G Berger, Senegal

University of Arizona, USA

University of Ibadan, Nigeria

University of Bonn, Germany

USAID

USDA-ARS

USDA-FAS

US Embassy, Kenya

ZARI, Zambia

Made Possible by Many National Partners

in Ministries, Industry, and on the Farm

Nigeria

For more information about aflatoxin biocontrol for Africa, check out: www.aflasafe.com

IITA, USDA, AATF & Doreo have Teamed up to Bring Aflatoxin Prevention to Africa

Acknowledgement

IUFoST

http://www.entwicklung.at/en/

Summary

Aflatoxins in food and feed pervasive in Africa

Biological control & other management practices can dramatically

reduce aflatoxin contamination

BUT, more work required on fitness in cropping systems, formulation

refinement, strain replacement to improve efficacy

Efforts underway to pilot commercialization of aflatoxin biocontrol

Support & partnership needed from national governments,

regulators, donors/ investors, private food sector and farmer groups

Africa-wide Initiative on Aflatoxin biocontrol can improve health & income of African people

aflasafe a highly effective biocontrol product for mitigating aflatoxin in africa iu fo-st...

Science

aflatoxin biocontrol

mitigating aflatoxin

aflatoxin contamination

aspergillus aflatoxin

food safety

food preferences

food quality

maximum aflatoxin levels