NAIROBI, Kenya, May 4 – Researchers at the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme and global partners have launched a major study to assess the health risks of aflatoxin exposure in children across Africa.
The study, dubbed TRACE (Tackling the Risks of Aflatoxins and Climate Effects on Child Health in Africa), will examine how prolonged exposure to the toxins affects child health, particularly in the context of climate change.
Aflatoxins are toxic substances produced by fungi that thrive in warm and humid conditions, often contaminating staple foods such as maize and groundnuts.
Lead investigator Ambrose Agweyu said the research will link climate data, food contamination patterns and child health outcomes. “We are leading the first large-scale study to directly connect long-term climate data with child health outcomes across Africa,” he said.
KEMRI Director General Elijah Songok noted that aflatoxin contamination remains widespread, warning that “it is a hidden everyday reality in many African households,” particularly where staple foods are vulnerable to fungal growth.
The study will be conducted in Kilifi, Kenya, and The Gambia, and aims to inform strategies to reduce illness and deaths linked to food contamination.
