GOVERNMENT has disclosed that Pembe, Africa and Star Milling, among others, have tested positive for the presence of aflatoxins.

Other brands that have tested positive include Farm Feed Super Dog Meal, Shabco Milling, Continental Milling, Girad Milling and Busu Milling.

Speaking during a press briefing in Kitwe, Thursday, Information and Media Permanent Secretary Thabo Kawana said laboratory results from some of the sampled batches of animal feed maize grain and mealie meal confirmed the presence of aflatoxin levels exceeding acceptable standards.

“Ingestion of high levels of aflatoxin exposure can lead to acute liver damage, especially in those with low immune system suppression, and other chronic health issues. Adults are more tolerant to aflatoxins than children. The robust surveillance system detected the alarming number of dogs that died due to suspected feed contamination. Post-mortem examinations conducted on the deceased dogs also confirmed aflatoxin toxicity, and laboratory results revealed these findings. The Ministry of Health, through its disease surveillance and intelligence wing, the Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI), convened a multi-sectoral one health team of experts who conducted field investigations and sampling of animal feed, maize grain and mealie meal,” he said.

“This investigation commenced in June 2024 after public alert noticed of sudden death among domestic dogs. This investigation is currently ongoing and we are gathering more information. This was essential because many milling companies produce products for both human and animal consumption. 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 four presence of aflatoxin levels exceeding acceptable levels (For our region the acceptable range is below 10 parts per billion)”.

He said all batches associated with positive tests had been withdrawn and quarantined.

“Of the samples so far tested, the following brands have been found with elevated levels of aflatoxin: Pembe – Roller Meal, number 3 meal; Africa Milling – Roller meal and breakfast; Farm Feed – Super Dog meal; Shabco milling; Continental milling; Girad Milling; Busu Milling; Star Milling. Government would like to inform the nation that we have collected samples from all millers and results will be communicated to public as soon as we have them on an ongoing basis. Please note that, of the samples so far tested, not all batches were found to be positive and some were negative. So all batches associated to positive tests have been withdrawn and quarantined,” Kawana said.

Kawana said the act of boiling food destroyed over 90 percent of aflatoxins.

“The presence aflatoxin levels in products intended for human consumption is of great concern. However, the public must know that the act of boiling food destroys over 90 percent of aflatoxins. In Zambia most of the preparation of foods that are contaminated with aflatoxins require boiling before eating. Government recognises the health implications for our population once exposed to aflatoxin. Hence, the government has immediately instituted the following control measures: (1) Batches affected and positive have been identified and companies affected notified. The public must be informed that affected companies have fully cooperated with the authorities. (2) Immediate seizure notices have been issued to the affected companies to withdraw all affected batches from the market,” said Kawana.

“(3) All affected batches of maize grain, dog food and maize meal have been recalled from the market and quarantined to safeguard consumers. All these contaminated batches will be publicly destroyed. (4) The sampling efforts have been extended to other parts of the country to ensure comprehensive monitoring and control and to prevent further contamination of the food supply chain. (5) Surveillance has continued to other parts of the country to strengthen prevention and control. (6) Education and awareness creation especially among farmers and millers on proper storage and processing to prevent aflatoxin contamination. The government will continue to monitor the situation closely and enforce regulatory measures to protect the health and safety of our citizens and animals in order to ensure smooth facilitation of trade”.

And Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI) Director General Professor Roma Chilengi said there was need for more vigilance in terms of grain storage when environmental conditions change.

“For us as the Public Health Institute, we really are looking at surveillance with what we are now calling the one health lens. In the one health sphere, we are talking about the interrelatedness between animals, humans and the environment. So this is a relatively new concept and we are moving with the one health lens as we take surveillance for public health interest in the country. I must mention that amongst our surveillance tools that we use, there is one tool we call event based surveillance. Now event based surveillance means that we have signals that come surrounding particular events and that is why we have the call centre for the public to call in. When particular events are triggered, we then look at the concentration of that event and try to make sense of it. So in this case, we really were triggered by the number of dogs that were clustered having taken reportedly a particular feed,” he said.

“Once our colleagues in the animal space were able to do the autopsy on those dogs and also test samples and confirm, then we realised that we must immediately explore to what extent the public health is affected. This is really part of what we need to be doing routinely. Where grain is stored overtime, if environmental conditions change, we need to be even more vigilant. Environmental conditions will not change to a given company, of course each company is required to create an atmosphere that complies. It should not surprise us, given the environmental situation we have gone through this year, it is something that is affecting all of us”.

He said there was need to enhance the country’s surveillance.

“The environmental and climatic conditions are affecting more than just this sector. They are affecting a lot of things and I think this is why need to be more vigilant to look at things. So this particular event, for us alerting to the public health threat that emanates from this, [it] means we need to enhance our guard in terms of surveillance [so] that we can detect things even earlier than we did in this case. But I think we are happy with the cooperation so far, as the PS said, we are looking really to enhance testing all across the country, I think you can imagine what volume of work that now is, that is what we are working towards,” said Prof Chilengi.