Eating poisonous food isn’t always about consuming that deadly mushroom and keeling over. It can be a long and slow process‚ but just as dangerous.

Now‚ a researcher from North-West University‚ Theodora Ekwomadu‚ has raised the alarm over the high levels of mycotoxins (from the Greek “fungus poison”) in African food.

He says there are 300 types of mycotoxins‚ and 12 are a health hazard. “They are the most hazardous of all food contaminants and can have long-term cumulative effects on health. This means that even low levels of mycotoxins in staple foods are very serious because people consume so much of them.”

In other words‚ if you regularly consume mycotoxin-contaminated food‚ you are essentially exposing yourself to low levels of highly toxic chemicals. Over time‚ this could have serious consequences‚ which include cancer and immune system disorders.

Affected foods potentially include wheat‚ alcoholic beverages‚ corn‚ sugar‚ peanuts‚ barley and cheeses.

In 2003‚ the UN estimated that one-quarter of food was affected. More recent studies put the estimate at three-quarters‚ but Ekwomadu said this might be due to better systems of evaluation.

Either way‚ the bad news is that cooking food‚ popularly praised for “killing germs”‚ has no effect on fungus poison because they are resistant to heat.

Africa is more vulnerable than other regions because the poisons love a warm‚ humid climate. And with factors ranging from climate change to poor agronomic practices‚ the risk rises further.

“There is a tendency to harvest crops early resulting in a high moisture content‚ which means that they will take longer to dry and are prone to fungal contamination‚” said Ekwomadu.

“This threat of fungal growth is exacerbated by inadequate storage facilities‚ with poor ventilation‚ high temperatures and humidity.”

Only 15 African countries‚ including South Africa‚ have regulations on mycotoxins‚ but they do not “make a difference on the ground”‚ he said.

To reduce the risk‚ Ekwomadu suggests:

- Education: “Departments of agriculture and health need to educate farmers‚ traders and consumers about the hazards and ways to manage mycotoxins”;

- Drying: Farmers should “dry the food and the feed to safer moisture levels”;

- Storage: Farmers should “keep moisture and humidity levels low during storage. Clean and disinfect storage containers after use”;

- Research: More studies on crop varieties and how they are cultivated could improve the situation; and

- Research: It should be driven by Africans who “understand local conditions and what would work best in their country.”