Abstract
Aflatoxin contamination in post-harvest maize threatens food safety and security in lower-resource settings. Our study used a pre-calibrated, small-scale, multi-spectral sorting machine based on visual characteristics previously associated with mycotoxin contamination of maize kernels to reduce aflatoxin under less controlled field settings than previously evaluated. Maize samples (n=45 each) were collected from Ghana and Kenya. A pre-existing linear discriminant analysis (LDA) classification algorithm was used to reject kernels with high risk of aflatoxin contamination. Five g subsamples of the accepted and rejected portions were analyzed for total aflatoxins using a lateral flow immunochromatographic assay and ELISA for Ghana and Kenya samples, respectively. After sorting, aflatoxin mean difference between the accept and the reject stream for Ghana was -0.28 log 10 (ng/g), paired t-test showed significant difference (p<2.2e-16) between the accept and reject levels for each individual sample. Kenya sample’s mean difference was -0.28 log 10 (ng/g) (p=0.08 by paired t test). The Ghana and Kenya samples had an average mass rejection of 37.9% (range 15.9-10.7) and 7.17% (range 1.10-25.2%), respectively, with average aflatoxin rejection of 65.5% (range 44.79-76.1) and 54.3% (range 10.2-99.97%), respectively. This shows that performing multi-spectral sorting under less controlled field conditions still retained efficacy to reduce aflatoxin in maize.
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Claims 6
Claim · model-written summary
Sorting gave a mean aflatoxin difference of -0.28 log10 (ng/g) between the accept and reject streams for Ghana samples, significant by paired t-test (p<2.2e-16).
- Outcome
- aflatoxin mean difference between the accept and the reject streame1
- Value
- -0.28 log 10 (ng/g)e1
- Comparator
- the reject streame1
- Setting
- Ghanae1
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“reduce aflatoxin in bulk maize”
e1“aflatoxin mean difference between the accept and the reject stream for Ghana was -0.28 log 10 (ng/g), paired t-test showed significant difference (p<2.2e-16)”
Claim · model-written summary
For Kenya samples, sorting gave a mean aflatoxin difference of -0.28 log10 (ng/g), not significant (p=0.08).
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“reduce aflatoxin in bulk maize”
e2“Kenya sample’s mean difference was -0.28 log 10 (ng/g) (p=0.08 by paired t test)”
Claim · model-written summary
Sorting rejected an average 37.9% of the Ghana maize samples by mass.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“reduce aflatoxin in bulk maize”
e3“The Ghana and Kenya samples had an average mass rejection of 37.9% (range 15.9-10.7) and 7.17% (range 1.10-25.2%), respectively, with average aflatoxin rejection of 65.5% (range 44.79-76.1) and 54.3% (range 10.2-99.97%), respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
Sorting rejected an average 7.17% of the Kenya maize samples by mass.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“reduce aflatoxin in bulk maize”
e3“The Ghana and Kenya samples had an average mass rejection of 37.9% (range 15.9-10.7) and 7.17% (range 1.10-25.2%), respectively, with average aflatoxin rejection of 65.5% (range 44.79-76.1) and 54.3% (range 10.2-99.97%), respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
Sorting rejected an average 65.5% of aflatoxin in the Ghana maize samples.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“reduce aflatoxin in bulk maize”
e3“The Ghana and Kenya samples had an average mass rejection of 37.9% (range 15.9-10.7) and 7.17% (range 1.10-25.2%), respectively, with average aflatoxin rejection of 65.5% (range 44.79-76.1) and 54.3% (range 10.2-99.97%), respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
Sorting rejected an average 54.3% of aflatoxin in the Kenya maize samples.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“reduce aflatoxin in bulk maize”
e3“The Ghana and Kenya samples had an average mass rejection of 37.9% (range 15.9-10.7) and 7.17% (range 1.10-25.2%), respectively, with average aflatoxin rejection of 65.5% (range 44.79-76.1) and 54.3% (range 10.2-99.97%), respectively”