@article{Karanja_Toroitich_Otanga_2022, title={DETERMINATION OF AFLATOXIN LEVELS IN GROUNDNUTS (Arachis hypogaea) FROM KERIO VALLEY}, url={https://conferences.egerton.ac.ke/index.php/euc/article/view/141}, abstractNote={<p>Groundnut is a nutritious cash crop that is cultivated and consumed in many parts of the world including Kenya. However, it is highly susceptible to aflatoxins contamination which are highly toxic carcinogens causing significant economic loss and health effects to humans, livestock and poultry. This study aimed at quantifying total aflatoxin levels in groundnuts collected from Kerio Valley a major groundnut producing area in Rift Valley region. The collected samples were divided into two groups whereby the first group comprised of groundnut samples that were collected at harvest and stored in the laboratory and farmer’s conditions for 10 months. The second group comprised of groundnuts samples that were purchased from markets and those that were collected from farmer’s stores regardless of the period they had been stored. Results showed that 92% of the groundnuts samples were within the acceptable limits of 10ppb for total aflatoxins and only 8% were above 10ppb, the aflatoxins levels ranged between 0-342.2ppb. A one-way ANOVA was used to compare total aflatoxin means in the first group and there was a significant difference in aflatoxin levels of the groundnuts that had been stored by the farmers <em>p</em>=0.000 (95% Confidence Interval). Also, a significant reduction in aflatoxin levels was observed in the groundnut samples that were stored in the laboratory at t (14) = 4.481, p= 0.01 (95% Confidence Interval). This shows that storage conditions have an impact on aflatoxin accumulation. As much as a majority of groundnuts from Kerio Valley are within safe limits for consumption there is a need to educate and sensitize farmers on better post-harvest practices of groundnuts in order to prevent the accumulation of aflatoxin contamination.</p>}, journal={Egerton University International Conference}, author={Karanja, Elizabeth and Toroitich, Faith and Otanga, Reannah}, year={2022}, month={Apr.} }