Aflasafe is a biocontrol product developed by IITA to reduce aflatoxin contamination in crops in Africa. It consists of atoxigenic strains of Aspergillus flavus that are able to outcompete toxigenic strains when applied to soils. Field trials in multiple African countries have demonstrated Aflasafe's ability to reduce aflatoxin levels in maize and groundnuts by over 80% on average. Further work is still needed to refine formulations and expand commercialization efforts before Aflasafe can provide widespread prevention of aflatoxin contamination in Africa.

1. www.iita.orgA member of CGIAR consortium
Aflasafe:
a highly effective biocontrol product
for mitigating aflatoxin in Africa
Akello Juliet
On behalf of the Aflasafe Team
17th World Congress of Food Science and Technology
(IUFoST), 16th August, Montreal, Canada,
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture

2. www.iita.orgA member of CGIAR consortium
Presentation outline
Aflatoxin: ingredients & status in sub-Saharan Africa
Biocontrol principle
Aflasafe
 What it is & mechanism of action
 Efficacy in sub-Saharan Africa
 Future research

3. www.iita.orgA member of CGIAR consortium
Food security & mycotoxin
Food Security exists when all people, at all times, have physical
and economic access to sufficient, safe & nutritious food to meet
their dietary needs and food preferences for an active
(productive) and healthy life.
Food safety: microbial contaminants (mycotoxins) is a threat to
food quality, safety & security.
Children are most prone to ill-effects of unsafe food

4. Fungus is common & widespread
fungus in soil & decaying matter
Affects several crops
Fungus is sometimes visible, toxin
is not
Aspergillus
Aflatoxin: what is known

5. Aflatoxin contamination: causative
agents
A. parasiticus
+++++
A. flavus S- strainA. flavus L- strain
- / +

6. www.iita.orgA member of CGIAR consortium
Aflatoxin: what is known
Phase 1: Before crop maturity
a. Developing crop becomes infected
b. Linked to crop damage (pests,
drought stress)
Phase 2: After crop maturity
a. May occur before or after harvest
b. Toxin levels may increase during
storage
c. Grain is vulnerable till consumed
Occurs in 2 phases

7. www.iita.orgA member of CGIAR consortium
Aflatoxin prevalence in SSA: status
Country Maize Groundnut Reference
Kenya 12000 >15000 Ngindu et al. 1982; Mwihia et al.
2008; Mutegi et al. 2009
Uganda 1000 >1000 Kaaya et al. 2006
Zambia 255 >5300 Mukanga et al. 2009; ICRISAT/
IITA data
Mozambique 687 >5600 Van Wyk et al. 1999; IITA data
Senegal 852 > 1000 Wild et al. 1993; Diedhiou et al.
2011
Maximum aflatoxin levels (ppb) detected in maize & groundnuts,
sampled from selected SSA countries

8. www.iita.orgA member of CGIAR consortium
Aflatoxin problem in SSA:
ingredients
a) Favorable climate b) Susceptible crops
35°
35°

9. Aflatoxin problem in SSA:
ingredients
Late harvest
c) Poor pre- & post- harvest handling procedures

10. Aflatoxin problem in SSA:
ingredients
c) Poor pre- & post- harvest handling procedures
Poor drying techniques Poor storage

11. Aflatoxin problem in SSA:
ingredients
 Informal marketing systems
 Inadequate regulatory systems
d) Inadequate food systems & lack of awareness
Mothers´ awareness about the invisible enemy- Àflatoxin`
Aware 33%
Unaware 77%

12. www.iita.orgA member of CGIAR consortium
Aflatoxin manageent in SSA: what
is being done?
Governments
a. Ministry of Agriculture
b. Ministry of public health &
sanitation
c. National Bureaus of standards
d. Public universities
NGOs
COMESA USDA CDC
CIMMYT IITA CRS
ILRI/BECA PACA WFP
ICRISAT ACDI/VOCA IFPRI
AATF TECHNOSERVE
Institutions involved

13. Aflatoxin biocontrol in SSA
Involves the introduction of
carefully selected atoxigenic
A. flavus strains that can
outcompete their toxigenic
cousins.

14. www.iita.orgA member of CGIAR consortium
Biocontrol of aflatoxin: principle
Species/strain B
aflatoxin
G
aflatoxin
A. flavus „L-strains‟ +/- -
A. flavus „S-strains‟ + -
A. flavus „SBG strains‟ + +
A. parasiticus + +
A. nomius + +
A. tamarii - -
“Competitive exclusion principle”:
Field application of atoxigenic L–strains outcompetes & shifts fungal
community structure from toxigenic to atoxigenic ones
incidenceoftoxigenic
strains(%)
100
75
50
25
0
natural biocontrol
atoxigenic
toxigenic

15. Aflasafe
What is AflaSafe?
Mixture of 4 atoxigenic native
strains of A. Flavus
Strains are coated on
sterilized sorghum grains

16. Fungal isolation
Aflasafe: product development
Developed by IITA in collaboration with:
 Agriculture Research Service - USDA
 University of Bonn
 National research partners
Involves several steps
 Isolation: > 4000 strains of Aspergillus spp

17. genetic profiling (SSR)
sequencing
(aflatoxin and CPA)
VCG profiling
competition bioassays
step 2 step 3
Aflasafe: product development
Characterization
 12 safe & effective
atoxigenic strains
selected for field
testing

18. Strain selection criteria:
 Non- toxin producer
 Superior capacity to colonize,
multiply & survive
 Superior field efficacy in
reducing aflatoxin
 Wide geographical distribution
Aflasafe: product development
4 native strains formulated
into a registered product

19. www.iita.orgA member of CGIAR consortium
National Products
Products ready for registration
Products under testing
Strain development in progress
Senegal
Mali
Burkina
Ghana
Nigeria
Kenya
Tanzania
Mozambique
Zambia
7 countries
Aflasafe-Nigeria
Aflasafe-Senegal
Aflasafe-Kenya
Aflasafe-Zambia
Aflasafe-Mozambique
Etc
Others: Malawi, Uganda,
Rwanda
Aflasafe: current status in SSA

20. Aflasafe
How does AflaSafe
work?

21. Aflasafe: how does it work?
Field application
Rate: 10 kg/ha
Time: 2-3 weeks before
flowering or 30-40 d.a.e
Method: broadcast or
side dress (mainly for
groundnuts)
Katete DWDA farmers apply aflasafe
(groundnut farm)
Farmer broadcasts aflasafe (maize)

22. Aflasafe: how does it work?
Sporulation &
colonization of moist soil
3-20 days
Inoculum on
sorghum grain
carrier
30-33 grains
m-2
Spores carried by
wind & insects

23. Aflasafe
Does AflaSafe
work?

24. www.iita.orgA member of CGIAR consortium
Aflasafe efficacy: strain shift in
the soil
Incidence of Aspergillus strains in soil before treatment & crop at
harvest

25. www.iita.orgA member of CGIAR consortium
Aflasafe efficacy (Senegal)
Village Fields Aflatoxin concentration (ppb) Reduction (%)
Aflasafe control
Diourbel 19 1.9 29.7 93
Nioro 19 4.4 17.6 75
Mean 87
Overall % reduction in B-aflatoxin levels in treated fields (2010)

26. www.iita.orgA member of CGIAR consortium
Village Fields Aflatoxin concentration (ppb) Reduction (%)
Aflasafe Control
Maigana 22 17 646 99
Pampaida 10 9 171 95
Lere 9 49 271 82
Birnin 10 14 96 85
Mean 90
Overall % reduction in B-aflatoxin levels in treated fields (2010)
Aflasafe efficacy (Nigeria)

27. www.iita.orgA member of CGIAR consortium
Aflasafe efficacy (Kenya)
Overall % reduction in B-aflatoxin levels in treated fields (2012)
Village Fields Aflatoxin concentration (ppb) Reduction (%)
Aflasafe control
Holla 40 19.6 885.2 98
Bura 40 3.9 92.1 96
Kitui 27 74.0 1133.0 93
Mean 96

28. www.iita.orgA member of CGIAR consortium
Aflasafe efficacy
Overall % reduction in aflatoxin levels in treated fields, Zambia (2013)
Crop Fields Aflatoxin concentration (ppb) Reduction (%)
Aflasafe control
Maize 20 1.0 5.9 83.7
Groundnut 20 8.5 76.0 88.8
Mean 86

29. www.iita.orgA member of CGIAR consortium
Aflasafe efficacy: carry over effect
Protects the crop in the field and during storage
71% and 52% carry-over of inoculum 1 & 2 years
after application
Aflatoxin reduction (%)
Stage Maize Groundnut
2009 2010 2011 2012 2009 2010 2011
Harvest 82 94 83 93 - 95 82
Storage 92 93 x x 100 80 x

30. www.iita.orgA member of CGIAR consortium
National vs. Regional Approach
Aflasafe-WestTM
Aflasafe-EastTM
Aflasafe-SouthTM
Aflasafe-Nigeria
Aflasafe-Senegal
Aflasafe-Kenya
Aflasafe-Zambia
Aflasafe-Mozambique
Aflasafe: What next?

31. www.iita.orgA member of CGIAR consortium
Awareness creation and training on aflatoxin monitoring and
management
Further field efficacy trials, registration, licensing & stewardship
Financing and implementation of a manufacturing facility – Public-
Private Partnership
Impact assessment
Create a sustainable system where small holder farmers have
access to Aflasafe & are incentivized to utilize Aflasafe for
aflatoxin control
Aflatoxin management in SSA:
What next?

32. Summary
Aflatoxins in food and feed pervasive in Africa
Biological control & other management practices can dramatically
reduce aflatoxin contamination
BUT, more work required on fitness in cropping systems, formulation
refinement, strain replacement to improve efficacy
Efforts underway to pilot commercialization of aflatoxin biocontrol
Support & partnership needed from national governments,
regulators, donors/ investors, private food sector and farmer groups
Africa-wide Initiative on Aflatoxin biocontrol can
improve health & income of African people

33. Aflasafe: Research Team
www.aflasafe.com
Bandyopadhyay Ranajit IITA-Nigeria
Atehnkeng Joseph IITA-Nigeria
Mutegi Charity IITA-Kenya
Augusto Joao IITA-Mozambique
Senghor A. Lamine IITA-Senegal
Akello Juliet IITA-Zambia
Cotty J. Peter USDA/UA-U.S.A
Mukanga Mweshi ZARI-Zambia
Njapau Henry NISIR-Zambia
Etc.

34. Aflasafe: Partners
AATF
ACDI/VOCA
ADA
Ag Dev Program, Nigeria
Animal Care, Nigeria
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Dalberg Institute
Doreo Partners
DPV, Senegal
FAES
Government of Mozambique
GIZ
ICRISAT
IFAR
INERA, Burkina Faso
KARI, Kenya
KEPHIS, Kenya
KNUST, Ghana
Livestock Feed PLC, Nigeria
Maize Association of Nigeria
Manufacturers Association of Nigeria
Meridien Institute
Mikocheni, Tanzania
Millennium Village Program, Nigeria
Ministry of Agriculture, Kenya
Ministry of Health, Nigeria
NAFDAC, Nigeria
NEPAD Business Group
Nestle
Nigerian Economic Summit Group
Nigerian Export Promotion Council
Nigerian Mycotoxin Society
NISIR, Zambia
PQPS, Zambia
Sokoine University, Tanzania
Tulln, Austria
UNIDO
Université G Berger, Senegal
University of Arizona, USA
University of Ibadan, Nigeria
University of Bonn, Germany
USAID
USDA-ARS
USDA-FAS
US Embassy, Kenya
ZARI, Zambia

35. Made Possible by Many National Partners
in Ministries, Industry, and on the Farm
Nigeria
For more information about aflatoxin biocontrol
for Africa, check out: www.aflasafe.com
IITA, USDA, AATF & Doreo have Teamed
up to Bring Aflatoxin Prevention to Africa
Acknowledgement
IUFoST

36. Summary
Aflatoxins in food and feed pervasive in Africa
Biological control & other management practices can dramatically
reduce aflatoxin contamination
BUT, more work required on fitness in cropping systems, formulation
refinement, strain replacement to improve efficacy
Efforts underway to pilot commercialization of aflatoxin biocontrol
Support & partnership needed from national governments,
regulators, donors/ investors, private food sector and farmer groups
Africa-wide Initiative on Aflatoxin biocontrol can
improve health & income of African people