Occurrence of Total Aflatoxins, Aflatoxin B1, and Ochratoxin A in Chicken and Eggs in Some Cameroon Urban Areas and Population Dietary Exposure

Abstract

Consumption of chicken and eggs contaminated by mycotoxins could lead to a public health concern. This study was conducted to evaluate the dietary exposure of populations to aflatoxins (AFs) and ochratoxin A (OTA) through these poultry products in the three most urbanized regions of Cameroon (Centre, Littoral, and West). A survey was firstly carried out to know about the consumption frequency by the different population age groups as well as their awareness about mycotoxins. Chicken feed, broiler, and eggs were collected from modern poultry farms. AFs and OTA were analysed using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and dietary exposure was evaluated using a deterministic approach. From the 900 households questioned, a daily consumption frequency of chicken and eggs was the most reported (41% and 69%, respectively), with populations having a very weak knowledge of mycotoxins and their associated health risk (18%). Mean concentrations of AFs, AFB₁, and OTA in poultry tissues were below the established regulated limits (20 μg/kg for AFs, 10 μg/kg for AFB₁, and 5 μg/kg for OTA) in feeds. These toxins were detected at average concentrations of 1800 and 966.7 ƞg/kg for AFs in chicken muscle and egg, respectively, and 1400 and 1933.3 ƞg/kg for OTA in muscle and egg, respectively. Based on the survey, their estimated daily intakes through these poultry products tended to be lower than the limits 1 and 100 ƞg/kg bw/day for AFB₁ and OTA, respectively). The margins of exposure (MOE) of the different population age groups to AFB₁ and OTA obtained suggest that the public health concern associated with the presence of mycotoxins in poultry products shall not be underestimated.