| dc.description.abstract | Aflatoxin contamination of staple foods remains a public health concern in many tropical and sub-tropical
countries. In sub-Saharan Africa, groundnuts are a significant source of aflatoxin (AF) in vulnerable populations
such as infants and young children. However, there are limited scalable and affordable technological interventions
to reduce the risk of aflatoxin ingestion in low and middle-income contexts. This study compared the effectiveness
of complementary sorting methods in reducing AF contamination, time taken, and percentage loss of groundnuts.
The study also evaluated bulk density and kernel weight as proxies for AF. Groundnuts were sampled from 19 bags
at a medium-scale enterprise in Tanzania (Halisi) that processes cereal-based blended flours for complementary
feeding. The samples were subjected to six sorting methods: (1) size (S) sorting, which yielded large and small
fractions (n = 38); (2) density (D) sorting, which yielded heavy and light fractions (n = 38), (3) visual (V) sorting,
(4) the combination of size and visual (SV), (5) the combination of density and visual (DV), and (6) the combination
of size, density, and visual (SDV) which yielded grades 1, 2, 3, and 4 (n = 76). Samples of unsorted groundnuts and
grades from all six sorting regimes (n = 418) were analysed for total aflatoxin by enzyme-linked immunosorbent
assay. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) at a 5% significance level was used to compare AF reduction efficiency.
Aflatoxin levels were reduced by 99% for the highest grade (G1) by the SDV sorting method. The SDV sorting method
was the most effective in reducing AF contamination by removing 14% outsort (Grade 4) from 1 kg groundnut within
22 min. Bulk density and 100 kernels weight were inversely associated with AF, indicating their value as AF proxies.
Scaling up such low-cost sorting methods can significantly reduce AF along the value chain and improve food safety | en_US |
