UV Solution Offers Safer Post Harvest Treatment for African Seeds by Sende Zachariah Kator скачать в хорошем качестве

UV Solution Offers Safer Post Harvest Treatment for African Seeds by Sende Zachariah Kator

Aflatoxin contamination, a persistent threat to food safety, public health, and agricultural trade in Africa, may soon be significantly reduced following the development of an innovative ultraviolet (UV) treatment technology by a Nigerian PhD student. Aflatoxins are highly toxic substances produced by fungi that grow on agricultural products particularly seeds under warm and humid conditions. They are known to cause severe health problems, including liver damage, liver cancer, weakened immune systems, growth retardation in children, and reduced productivity in livestock. The presence of aflatoxins has also contributed to the frequent rejection of African grains and seeds in international markets. In response to this challenge, a student-led research project at the Centre for Food Technology and Research (CEFTER) has successfully developed a UV-based treatment unit designed to reduce pathogenic microorganisms responsible for aflatoxin production. The project was carried out by Mr. Sende Zachariah Kator, a PhD student in Radiation and Physics, under the supervision of Dr. Louise Abayomi of Food Engineering Department, Natural Resources Institute (NRI), University of Greenwich.