Mexican government to provide technological support for the fight against aflatoxin in maize

Company News from Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Source: Ghananewsagency.org

2019-05-28

The Mexican government is working in partnership with the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) to introduce nixtamalization technology in Ghana to reduce levels of aflatoxin in corn.

This technology is an ancient Mexican white corn processing technique that could significantly reduce the public health and food safety issues badociated with consumption of aflatoxin-contaminated maize and improve economic growth.

Aflatoxin refers to fungal contamination, which occurs mainly in foods such as peanuts, rice, nuts, cocoa beans, spices and other dried foods, in regions with hot and humid climates. before and after harvest.

Mr. Carlos Kingsley Ahenkorah, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, said at the NASA meeting (National Aflatoxin Awareness and Management) that technology was important because corn products were among the top most consumed foods in Ghana.

The theme of the meeting was "Aflatoxin Awareness: Standards, Public Health and Nixtamalization".

According to the World Health Organization, aflatoxin poses great health problems for human organs.

He said the government was excited about the introduction of technology as it implemented a number of initiatives to improve yields and quality of agricultural products.

The deputy minister said initiatives such as Plant to Feed and Create Jobs, Plant to Export and A District, A Plant would need technology to strengthen trade and accountability.

Ahenkorah said the government is grateful to the government and the Mexican people for their support in providing technology to reduce the risk of aflatoxin in agricultural products, especially maize and peanuts.

He called on research institutions, universities and the GSA to adopt the new technology adapted to the environment and make it easy and affordable for farmers and processors in the country.

Ms. Maria de Los Angeles Arriola, ambbadador of Mexico to Ghana, said that her country was free of aflatoxins and that it was beneficial for maize production and for the health of the population.

She added that Mexico had the necessary expertise to transfer the technology, which was inexpensive and affordable for use by all.

The ambbadador said that the process of reducing aflatoxin would not only improve the quality of corn, but would also allow people to be free of aflatoxins.

"It will improve people's health, food security and also economic development," she added.

She expressed the hope that in the future, the Ministries of Health and Agriculture will badociate with the various stakeholders to raise awareness about the fight against the disease. aflatoxin.

Mr. Charles Amoako, Deputy Director General for Conformity Assessment at GSA, said that this meeting was part of a project that the Authority had received support from. Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa.

He said the project aims to catalyze and support inclusive agricultural transformation by improving food safety through increased knowledge of aflatoxins, its impact and management.

"It can not be said that aflatoxins, found in cereals and nuts, especially corn, peanuts and others like sorghum and millet, are friends of humans and animals" , he added.

He added that, apart from the great danger that this posed to the health of humans and animals, it also threatened the economy of a country, the aflatoxin-infected export products at risk to be rejected and resulting in loss of income.

He said the meeting aimed to bring together the stakeholders in the unit to create awareness and develop strategies in the fight against the carcinogenic substance.

Mr. Amoako said, "The struggle is a collective effort from every angle." To succeed, we need to share ideas as members of academia, as farmers and as food processors in the world. the framework of the fight against this hazard threatens the total production of the agricultural sector ".

Earlier, the Mexican ambbadador led a two-member delegation to make a courtesy call to the GSA to discuss possible ways to implement the new technology introduced to combat aflatoxin in maize. .