MSc. Human Nutrition
Surveillance was conducted during the year 2016/2017 in Dar es Salaam region, Tanzania
to determine the levels of fumonisins contamination in pre-packed cereal-legume
complementary flour. The concentration of fumonisin was determined using high-
performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The concentration of fumonisin B 1 ranged
from 2. to 60 669μg/kg (mean 2371.8 μg/kg), fumonisin B 2 ranged from 5.74 to 15 758
μg/kg (mean 901.2 μg/kg) and the total fumonisins (FB 1 + FB 2 ) ranged from 8.2 to 61
486.8 μg/kg (mean 3 273.0 μg/kg). The levels of fumonisin B 1 and total fumonisins exceeded the maximum limit of 2000 μg/kg for processed cereals and products intended for human consumption. There was significant difference (p<0.05) between the levels of fumonisin contamination and type of packaging material. The flour packed in boxes and plastic was more contaminated and levels exceeded acceptable tolerable limit. The fumonisin exposure to children through cereal-legume complementary flour was estimated. The estimate from the study shows the fumonisins contamination in cereal- legume complementary flour and children were exposed to fumonisins above provisional maximum tolerable daily intake PMTDI through consumption of the contaminated complementary flour, which has negative effect on human health. Therefore appropriate practices recommended along the commodity value chain that can reduce contamination in order to improve food safety and food security.