Purpose: To perform an assessment on maize handling practices as well as an evaluation of mycotoxin exposure in the Huehuetenango department in Guatemala.
Methods: A survey was conducted among farmers (n=280) from Todos Santos and Chiantla, townships of Huehuetenango. Additionally, aflatoxin and fumonisin were measured in samples from 25 households in the region employing a lateral-quantifiable ELISA. Range of detection was 0-100 ppb (LOD=3.6 ppb, LOQ=5.0 ppb) for aflatoxin and 0-5 ppm (LOD=0.3 ppm, LOQ=0.4 ppm) for fumonisin. Due to lack of normality in the mycotoxin data, a Recursive Partitioning Model (RPM) was used for analysis.
Results: The survey revealed that most (88%) farmers dry the maize by a direct sunlight exposure, primarily as cobs. During the storage time, 61% of farmers perform grain quality checks once a week. Moreover, 65% perform pest control during storage but only as a corrective measure. Forty-nine percent of farmers indicated mishandling of grain moisture as the main cause of maize loss, leading to insect infestation and fungal growth. RPM revealed that farmers who buy maize are at higher risk of fumonisin contamination; while aflatoxin was present for both producers and buyers. Aflatoxin was found in all farmers’ maize while fumonisin was in 52%. Aflatoxin levels were influenced by the relative humidity (>74.5%) of the storage location. Alarmingly, the mean of all detectable cases of mycotoxin contamination were above the Provisional Maximum Tolerable Daily Intake (PMTDI).
Significance: Farmers of the highlands of Guatemala need to improve their agricultural practices in order to have maize and maize-based safe products.