Aflatoxins in sorghum, sorghum malt and traditional opaque beer in southern Malawi

Samples of sorghum grain and malt, traditional opaque sweet beverage (thobwa) and beer prepared from sorghum malts, were collected from the southern region of Malawi during the humid month of January. The samples were analyzed for total aflatoxins using aflatest VICAM fluorometry procedure. All malt and beer samples, 15% and 43% of the sorghum and thobwa samples, respectively, were contaminated with aflatoxins. The sorghum malt prepared for beer brewing, had a significantly (p < 0.01) higher total aflatoxin content (average 408 ± 68 μg/kg [SEM]) than any other type of sample. The average aflatoxin content in the beer was 22.32 μg/l, which is higher than the permissible maximum level in ready to eat foods set by Codex Alimentarius Commission (10 μg/kg). Thus consumption of opaque sorghum-based traditional beer poses a risk of aflatoxin exposure.