The head biodiversity and biotechnology at the National Agricultural Research Organisation Dr. Andrew Kigundu has recently warned Ugandans that poorly stored grain may expose them to cancer.
He stated that poorly stored grain such as ground nuts possess aflatoxins widely seen as a carcinogenic.
“Some grain foods, especially groundnuts are poorly harvested, dried and sorted by farmers. When they are packaged for eating they expose people who eat it to diseases like cancer,” he said.
Kigundu blames an increase in cancer cases in the East African country on aflatoxin-rich grains.
According to the Health Ministry, at least 120 new cancer related cases are reported everyday by the public health sector. Recent reports say Uganda’s only radiotherapy machine used for treating broke down last month.
Kigundu warned school administrators to be vigilant when buying grain for students, as they may be exposed to dangerous toxins.
Other sources of contamination, he said, include the practice of drying grains on the ground. Mixing grains with soil increases their contamination probability, Kigundu suggested
