Mold on grains as a possible cause of stunted growth in children of impoverished regions in Africa, Asia and South America

Fungal toxins such as aflatoxins and fumonisins can, according to the current evaluation of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), not only induce acute intoxication and cancer, but can also massively impede the growth of children (1). These toxic induced growth retardations already occur intrauterine, meaning prior birth. The IARC considers that besides malnutrition, the contamination of corn and peanuts might be in particular one of the reasons for the strikingly high proportion of stunted children in sub-Saharan Africa, South-East Asia and the poorer parts of Latin America (2).

Corn, especially vulnerable to fungal mold, is increasingly consumed as a staple food in these regions, while there are still no toxin threshold values regulated by law. Errors in the storage of crops, or simply poverty and unawareness contribute to the fact that about 500 million people worldwide regularly (have to) consume moldy crops and thus expose themselves to a high risk of poisoning and sequelae.

Among the emergency measures, which the IARC experts recommend, include a greater variety in the diet, a more thorough cleaning and selection of the harvest and a more robust preservation and packaging.

Students4Kids can help to ensure that the knowledge about the partially harmful effects of micro-substances such as mold toxins, reaches consumers in Zambia and thereby enhance the possibilities of producing and consuming uncontaminated Foods.

Read and see more:

1. IARC Working Group Report 2016. Mycotoxin control in low- and middle- income countries Edited by C.P. Wild, J.D. Miller und J.D. Groopman. available at: www.iarc.fr/en/publications/pdfs-online/wrk/wrk9/index.php
2. The topic Stunting due to contamination of food in developing countries is explicitly carried out in chapter 2 of the IARC Working Group Report 2016 (see reference 1). The results are based on six studies.