New aflatoxin biocontrol product lowers contamination of groundnut and maize in Senegal
Thursday, March 12, 2020 - 13:30
in Biology & Nature
In Senegal, groundnut and maize are commonly contaminated with highly toxic, cancer-causing chemicals called aflatoxins, which are produced by fungi in the genus Aspergillus when they infect crops. The main aflatoxin-producing species is A. flavus. This contamination typically occurs before harvest and can worsen depending on storage conditions. Consumption of these crops when containing high aflatoxin levels can result in rapid death.