THE HIDDEN DANGER OF AFLATOXIN IN HERBS AND SPICES

Imagine you have just prepared a delicious pot of jollof rice, light soup, or kontomire stew, seasoned it with your favorite spices like ginger and hot powdered pepper. The aroma fills the room, and you serve yourself a plate ready to devour. But you don’t know that you just served yourself a plate of poison. Yes. These same spices could be hiding a dangerous, invisible poison called aflatoxin that could kill you.

Aflatoxin is a toxic substance produced by a mould that grows on poorly stored food. It doesn’t change the taste of your spices, but over time, it can damage your liver, weaken your immune system, and even cause cancer. The scary part is that many of the herbs and spices sold in Ghana’s markets have been found to contain unsafe levels of it. Consumers should make it a priority to know what aflatoxin is and why it is so dangerous, which common Ghanaian spices are most at risk, how this poison ends up in the food and what can be done to protect themselves and family from it.

Why Should You Care About Aflatoxin Contamination ?

Aflatoxins are naturally occurring poisons produced by a certain mould (fungi) primarily aspergillus flavus and aspergillus parasiticus, that is found in food and feed. This mould is highly poisonous and can cause serious health problems to humans and animals. Aflatoxins are known to be carcinogenic and can also lead to liver damage and other health issues. Aflatoxins can contaminate various food and feed items, including peanuts, maize (corn), rice, and spices, particularly during storage. This mould thrives in warm, humid conditions which is the exact kind of environment we have in a typical Ghanaian storage system.

There are several types of aflatoxins, with aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) being the most common and the most potent carcinogen. Aflatoxin B1 is known to increase the risk of liver cancer. It can cause extreme damage to the liver, including liver cell death and fibrosis. Exposure to aflatoxin can also lead to immune suppression, growth retardation, and other health issues, particularly in children. Measures to prevent aflatoxin contamination include proper storage of food and feed, using aflatoxin-resistant crops, and controlling fungal growth during cultivation.

How Aflatoxin Slowly Destroys Your Body

Now you know about the dangers of aflatoxin but do you really understand how this invisible poison damages your body over time? Unlike food poisoning which gives immediate vomiting or diarrhea, aflatoxin works silently and slowly yet its long term effects can be devastating, or even deadly. Aflatoxin is a known carcinogen, meaning long-term exposure increases the risk of liver cancer. Your liver is your body’s detox powerhouse meaning it works to filter out harmful substances that get into the body.

But aflatoxin is so toxic that it overwhelms and damages the liver itself. When you eat aflatoxin-contaminated food, it gets absorbed into your bloodstream. The liver tries to break it down, but in the process, aflatoxin turns into a more dangerous chemical (aflatoxin-8,9-epoxide). This toxic compound binds to your liver cells’ DNA, causing mutations (structural changes) that lead to liver inflammation (hepatitis), liver cirrhosis (scarring) and liver cancer one of the most common cancers in Ghana. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies aflatoxin as a group 1 carcinogen which is in the same category as smoking and asbestos.

Aflatoxin doesn’t just harm your liver but also weakens your immune system, making you more vulnerable to infections. Aflatoxin reduces the production of white blood cells, which fight diseases. It damages the gut lining, allowing harmful bacteria to enter your bloodstream. Studies show that people with high aflatoxin exposure recover slower from illnesses like malaria and tuberculosis. If you or your child keep falling sick frequently, aflatoxin in your diet could be a hidden reason.

For children, even small amounts of aflatoxin over time can have lifelong consequences. Aflatoxin blocks nutrient absorption, preventing kids from getting key vitamins and minerals. It disrupts hormone function, slowing down physical and mental development. Children exposed to high levels are more likely to be shorter, weaker, and slower learners in school. A study in Benin and Togo found that children eating aflatoxin-contaminated food had significantly lower height and weight compared to those with cleaner diets.

While the liver takes the worst blow, aflatoxin also harms the kidneys, which are the body’s filtration system. The toxic byproducts of aflatoxin accumulate in kidney tissues. Over time, this can lead to kidney inflammation, reduced function, and even failure. Unfortunately, aflatoxin is hard to eliminate once it enters your system. Small amounts may be excreted in urine, but long-term exposure builds up in your organs. Unlike bacteria, cooking does not destroy aflatoxin, it survives high heat.

Which Herbs & Spices Are Most Contaminated With Aflatoxin?

Studies have found that some of the most commonly used spices in Ghana contain alarmingly high levels of aflatoxin. Some of these spices are, powdered and whole red and black pepper, ginger, cloves, turmeric and some other dried herbs both powdered & whole. Red pepper is often dried on bare ground, exposing it to mould spores.

Powdered pepper contamination with aflatoxin is also easier given that they are often adulterated with old contaminated batches. A 2020 test in Kumasi markets found that 47% of pepper samples exceeded safe aflatoxin limits.

Fresh & dried ginger are susceptible to aflatoxin contamination. Fresh ginger is high in moisture content and if not dried properly can develop mould during storage. Some sellers also mix old, mouldy ginger powders with fresh batches to cut costs. A Nigerian study found ginger samples with 5 times the world health organizations safe limit.

Surprisingly, cloves are also prone to aflatoxin contamination. Cloves are often stored for months in humid conditions which enable the formation of the aflatoxin mould and traders sometimes re-dry mouldy cloves instead of discarding them. A 2019 fda-ghana report found 1 in 3 clove samples had unsafe aflatoxin levels.

Turmeric has a long drying time and this increases the risk of aflatoxin mould formation. Some turmeric sellers also adulterate it with fake fillers like starch that may be contaminated with aflatoxin. Liver toxicity cases in india were turmeric is consumed in high quantities were linked to aflatoxin contamination in turmeric.

A spice like nutmeg that is rarely tested showed high mould contamination potential in a study. The bulky and poor storage conditions in which nutmeg is imported also makes it prone to aflatoxin mould formation and contamination.

Dawadawa (african locust beans), a traditional spice, is also prone to aflatoxin mould formation and contamination due to its fermentation process that can go wrong. Dawadawa is also often sold in open markets under poor hygiene conditions.

Other spices including cinnamon and bay leaves which are less prone to mould and are at lower risk due to natural antifungal properties are still risky.

How To Protect Yourself & Your Family

Now that we know what aflatoxin is, the spices that are at risks of aflatoxin contamination and how they affect our body, we can protect ourselves and family by taking the following actions buying whole spices and making powders out of them, buying from trusted sellers who store spices in clean and dry conditions, not stockpiling spices for too long and using the spices within few months of purchasing them, avoiding suspiciously cheap spices as they might be old or contaminated with aflatoxin, checking for mould, discolorations, musty smells and storing in airtight jars to keep moisture out. All these actions give less room for aflatoxin growth and contamination, puts you at a lower risk of buying and consuming spices contaminated with aflatoxin and will also allow you screen for adulteration of these spices in local markets.

Aflatoxin is a real but preventable danger. By being careful about where you buy your spices and how you store them, you can keep your meals safe and healthy. Spread the word! Many ghanaians don’t know about this hidden threat. Share this article with your friends and family and it could save lives.

Have you ever noticed mould on your spice?

• Yes
• No. I haven't really taken notice of it.

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