FOLLOWING a case in which dozens of dogs died due to consumption of maize meal and grains contaminated with aflatoxin, Government has named eight maize meal brands which have been found with elevated levels of the toxin.
These brands are Pembe Roller Meal number three meal, Africa milling- Roller meal and breakfast, Farm Feed-Super Dog meal,Shabco milling, Continental milling, Girad Milling, Busu Milling and Star Milling.
Confirming the development, Permanent Secretary Information and Media Thabo Kawana said the affected companies have been notified and are complying with authorities.
He said immediate seizure notices have also been done to ensure affected companies withdraw the batches.
“The Ministry of Health through its disease surveillance and intelligence wing, the Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI) convened a multisectoral one health team of experts who conducted field investigations and sampling of animal feed, maize grain and mealie meal,” he said.
Mr Kawana noted that the investigations which commenced in June this year were critical and essential because many milling companies produce products for both human and animal consumption.
He said the team was tasked to collect samples and submit for analysis to the National Food Laboratory and the Zambia Bureau of Standards laboratories.
“Laboratory results from some of the sampled batches of animal feed maize grain and mealie meal confirmed presence of aflatoxin levels exceeding acceptable levels (For our region the acceptable range is below 10 parts per billion).Of the samples so far tested, the following brands have been found with elevated levels of aflatoxin: Pembe Roller Meal number three meal, Africa milling- Roller meal and breakfast, Farm Feed-Super Dog meal, Shabco milling, Continental milling, Girad Milling, Busu Milling and Star Milling,” he said.
Mr Kawana clarified that of the samples so far tested, not all batches were found to be positive and some were negative.
He said all batches associated to be positive tests have been withdrawn and quarantined.
Aflatoxins are a family of toxins produced by certain fungi or moulds that are found on agricultural crops such as maize, cassava, cotton seed, millet, rice, sorghum, sunflower seeds, wheat, peanuts and ground nuts.
