12-17 November 2007
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics
ICRISAT, Patancheru, India

Back ground

Many agricultural commodities are vulnerable to attack by a group of fungi that are able to produce toxic metabolites called mycotoxins. Among various mycotoxins, aflatoxin contamination of agricultural products has gained global significance as a result of their deleterious effects on human as well as animal health and its importance to international trade. Aflatoxins are potent carcinogenic, mutagenic and immuno-suppressive agents, produced as secondary metabolites by the fungus Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus. Many food commodities are contaminated by aflatoxins, including cereals (maize, sorghum, pearl millet, rice etc.), oil seeds (groundnut, soybean, sunflower) spices (chillies, black pepper, turmeric, zinger, coriander), fruit nuts (almonds, pistachio). Health hazards from ingestion of aflatoxin contaminated food are much greater in the developing than in the developed world.

Most developing countries are located in tropics where temperatures and relative humidities often favor mold growth, and where there are no or only limited facilities exist for monitoring groundnut and groundnut products for aflatoxin contamination. Developed countries which import groundnut have set aflatoxin contamination limits for foodstuff ranging from zero to 10 µg kg -1 and this has resulted in import restrictions on aflatoxin-contaminated produce. As a result, many developing countries have been unable to export their groundnuts and groundnut products.

For exporting countries to satisfy the regulations, they have to produce groundnuts with no or extremely low aflatoxin contents. This can only be achieved by following suitable management practices and by storing produce under conditions that minimize the growth of aflatoxin-producing fungi. The research, development and monitoring needed to ensure this are dependent upon having simple, specific and cost-effective methods for the detection and estimation of aflatoxins in various agricultural commodities.

Who should attend?

Participants can be from Department of Agricultures, Veterinary Science, NGOs engaged in agriculture, personnel from food, feed, poultry/hatcheries industries, large scale poultry farmers, agricultural commodity exporters, traders and government policy makers. Research workers actively involved in quality or crop improvement programs in the universities and industries will also be ideal participants for this training course.

Course Objectives

Estimate aflatoxin using competitive ELISAs
Determine the importance of aflatoxins in food, feed and milk
Manage strategies in reducing aflatoxins in groundnut
Identify the importance of host plant resistance Explain the role of cultural and storage practices

Course Outline

Detection and diagnosis of aflatoxins
Quantification of aflatoxins by ELISA
Evaluation of groundnut seed for Aspergillus flavus infection
Evaluation of groundnut seed for resistance to A. flavus infection
Host plant resistance to A. flavus infection and aflatoxin contamination
Transfer of technology: case studies
Health related problems with aflatoxins
Agronomic practices to reduce aflatoxins
Post-harvest technologies

Course period : 12-17 November 2007.

Course Fee

For Universities* / Govt. Institutes / Collaborators Rs. 10,000 or US $ 250
For Corporates / Exporters / Traders /Business Rs. 25,000 or US $ 625
Note: The course fee does not include lodging and boarding charges. On request accommodation can be arranged at ICRISAT campus or hotels in Hyderabad.

Limited sponsorships are available*

For more details contact

Dr Farid Waliyar
Principal Scientist (Pathology) and Managing Director for Agri-Science Park
ICRISAT
Patancheru 502324
Andhra Pradesh, INDIA.
Phone: 91 40 30713696
Fax: 91 40 30713074

Email: F.WALIYAR@CGIAR.ORG