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Peer-reviewedCC BYToxins

Aflatoxin Contamination in the Maize Supply Chain: A Case of Nampula Province, Mozambique.

  • Ibraimo Teleha Chabite1,2
  • Jamal Bakari Kussaga2
  • Frida Nyamete2
  • Quenton Kritzinger3
  • Shivan Maharaj4
  • Rashid Suleiman2
4 affiliations
  1. 1Laboratory of Quality and Food Safety (LQSA), Lúrio Interdisciplinary Study Center (CEIL), Lúrio University, Nampula P.O. Box 364, Mozambique.
  2. 2Department of Food Science and Agro-Processing, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro P.O. Box 3006, Tanzania.
  3. 3Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa.
  4. 4Mass Spectrometry, Central Analytical Facilities, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland 7600, South Africa.
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Abstract

Aflatoxin contamination in maize remains a major food safety and public health concern in Nampula Province, Mozambique. Maize samples obtained from farmers, traders, and milling units across the districts of Malema, Mossuril, Mecuburi, Monapo, and Nampula in 2024 and 2025 were analysed using UPLC-ESI-MS/MS. In 2024, aflatoxins were detected in samples from Mecuburi (43%), Mossuril (17%), Monapo (17%), and traders (13%), with some exceeding the regulatory limit of 15 µg/kg. AFB₁ was the predominant aflatoxin, followed by AFB₂. At the farmer level, Mecuburi recorded the highest contamination, with AFB₁ and AFB₂ detected in 43% of samples and AFG₁ and AFG₂ in 29%, while Mossuril had 20% contamination with AFB₁ and AFG₁. The maximum concentration was 4221.33 µg/kg of AFB₁ in Mecuburi, whereas the minimum detected concentration was 2.82 µg/kg of AFB₂. Aflatoxins were not detected above the limit of detection in milling samples or in samples collected in 2025. Despite the relatively low prevalence, the occurrence of extremely high aflatoxin concentrations highlights persistent contamination risks and the need for integrated mitigation strategies throughout the maize supply chain.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{chabite2026aflatoxin,
  title = {{Aflatoxin Contamination in the Maize Supply Chain: A Case of Nampula Province, Mozambique.}},
  author = {Ibraimo Teleha Chabite and Jamal Bakari Kussaga and Frida Nyamete and Quenton Kritzinger and Shivan Maharaj and Rashid Suleiman},
  journal = {Toxins},
  year = {2026},
  month = sep,
  doi = {10.3390/toxins18100421},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42931512},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Aflatoxin Contamination in the Maize Supply Chain: A Case of Nampula Province, Mozambique.
AU  - Ibraimo Teleha Chabite
AU  - Jamal Bakari Kussaga
AU  - Frida Nyamete
AU  - Quenton Kritzinger
AU  - Shivan Maharaj
AU  - Rashid Suleiman
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/30
JO  - Toxins
DO  - 10.3390/toxins18100421
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42931512
AB  - Aflatoxin contamination in maize remains a major food safety and public health concern in Nampula Province, Mozambique. Maize samples obtained from farmers, traders, and milling units across the districts of Malema, Mossuril, Mecuburi, Monapo, and Nampula in 2024 and 2025 were analysed using UPLC-ESI-MS/MS. In 2024, aflatoxins were detected in samples from Mecuburi (43%), Mossuril (17%), Monapo (17%), and traders (13%), with some exceeding the regulatory limit of 15 µg/kg. AFB₁ was the predominant aflatoxin, followed by AFB₂. At the farmer level, Mecuburi recorded the highest contamination, with AFB₁ and AFB₂ detected in 43% of samples and AFG₁ and AFG₂ in 29%, while Mossuril had 20% contamination with AFB₁ and AFG₁. The maximum concentration was 4221.33 µg/kg of AFB₁ in Mecuburi, whereas the minimum detected concentration was 2.82 µg/kg of AFB₂. Aflatoxins were not detected above the limit of detection in milling samples or in samples collected in 2025. Despite the relatively low prevalence, the occurrence of extremely high aflatoxin concentrations highlights persistent contamination risks and the need for integrated mitigation strategies throughout the maize supply chain.
SN  - 2072-6651
ER  -