All about aflatoxin Part 2

Good morning to you all people of Bohol .

A man entered the store of a jeweler who had purchased a shipment of clocks. They were of all size's and kind. All the clocks had been wound and started at different times. No two told the same time. All those clock having a different times created confusion. The visitor, watching all of the clocks was laughing at the situation. He said, If by accident one of the clocks told the correct time , we still could not be sure “. But the owner pointed to an old “regulator” hanging in the corner of the room , the thick was deliberate and steady and said” there is the correct time”. What is the regulator of life? The bible! But every person and teaching is “false” unless in harmony with the “old regulator”, the written word of God.

Remember some timepieces are so fast, some so slow, the hands are beautiful, the face attractive, but there is something wrong with the works.

Let's pause for a moment: Gods word is always true So when my faith grows Dim I look into his word And trust my life to him. You can trust the bible—God always keeps his word.

Our topic…Aflatoxin, Bpre experts stress that aflatoxin is potent cancer-causing substance or carcinogen formed by the fungi-aspergillus flavus and aspergillus parastiticus. The mould grows when farm crops are exposed to prolonged hot weather, drought, insect damage and high moisture content. Corm, Peanut, Copra and Cassava are visually contaminated by aflatoxin. Among animals mycotoxin ingestion could weaker their immune system, resulting in decrease productivity, reproductive dysfunction and even death. It can also cause sickness or even death among humans.

Aflotoxin infection in poultry is manifested by reduced weight gain, and feed convertion, refusal to consume the feed and reduce feed intake, immunological disorder, lower egg production and size, lower hatch ability and increase egg breakage plus, liver and kidney damage. In the large ruminant like cattle and carabaos the animals suffer from weight loss, poor feed conversion, reduced milk production and butterfat content, reduced feed intake, feed refusal liver damage and a presence of aflatoxin in the milk. pigs can also suffer from weight loss poor feed conversion, feed refusal and feed intake, vomiting, skin necrosis, bleeding as well as liver and kidney damage. As a result, livestock raiser would suffer from financial losses resulting from low productivity and high mortality of their animals. Among humans, intakes of aflatoxin-contaminated foods result in serious illnesses like liver cancer and kidney failure. Inhalation of and direct contact with aflatoxin spores lead to skin itchiness, respiratory disorder, eye irritation, allergies and poisoning.

Afltoxin has also been linked with the occurrence of various chronic diseases like Indian childhood cirrhosis, chronic gastritis, kwasmiorkor and reyes syndrome .the latter has been reported in Thailand, Malaysia, New Zealand, Czechoslovakia, United States , Valenzuela and Europe. It is characterized by fever, convulsion, vomiting altered reflexes as well well as enlarge yellow liver and kidney. Consequently, impaired health would lead to diminished work efficiency and increased expenses related to the treatment of the diseased or death of the afflicted individuals. In like manner farmers, trader and millers also suffer severe losses from aflatoxin- contaminated product as a result of low return, increased production cost and fluctuating market condition.

Prevention –farmers can prevent afflatoxin infection on their crops by adopting the flowing management practice, use fungus-resistant crop varieties, if any practice crop rotation, adopt proper irrigation and fertilizer application techniques and adopt integrated pest management practices. Farmers must take note also that harvested products are likewise prone to aflatoxin infection. Grains like corn deteriorate and spoil rapidly when recommended post harvest practices are not followed. Farmers would do well to observe the following : timely harvesting, immediate drying of grains to 14 percent of moisture content, injury free smelling, store the grains free from impurities , and apply integrated pest management practice.

ry the smelled corn grain within 48 hours after smelling. During storage the grain should be well aerated to prevent the accumulation of heat and water, which are the product of respiration , as the grains are still respiring .avoid the following as this favor the production of aflatoxins a.)storage of ear in plastics sacks for more than ten days b.) smelling corn ear with moisture content of 26 percent or more, c.) Storage of shelled corn with 18 percent or more moisture content in plastic sacks or spreading on the floor for more than 30days. I wish to thank Dr. SosimoMa. Pablico for his help in my research.