Category Research project
  • Expositionsschätzung

Associations between diet and internal exposure to mycotoxins among adults in Ghana and Ghanaian migrants in Europe

Project status
In Progress
Project start
Apr 2025
Project end
Mar 2028
Acronym
Mycotoxins Ghana
Department
Lebens- und Futtermittelsicherheit in der Nahrungskette

Description and Objective

Mycotoxins, the toxic secondary metabolites of moulds, are acknowledged as relevant threats to food safety and food security, especially concerning Sub-Sahara Africa. Due to the diverse serious health effects of mycotoxins to human and animal health, mycotoxin exposure poses a considerable threat to public health. Yet, necessary data on internal exposure to diverse relevant mycotoxins as well as their relevant food sources is lacking for many Sub-Sahara African countries and Ghana in particular. Therefore, the project aims at the characterization of the internal exposure to most relevant mycotoxins and associated dietary intakes among Ghanaian populations resident to different geographical regions (Ghanaians resident to rural Ghana vs. Ghanaian migrants living in Berlin). Further public health aims include raising awareness for the considerable health burden of the Ghanaian population associated with internal mycotoxin exposure, preparation of risk mitigation activities and a policy brief involving relevant stakeholders and decision makers in Ghana, and information of the Ghanaian publicity. Analyses will be based on a random subsample of two studies providing blood and morning urine samples in addition to complete data on basic characteristics and dietary intakes: the Berlin-subpopulation of the “Research on Obesity and Diabetes among African Migrants” (RODAM) study and follow-up of the “Intermittent Preventive Treatment for Malaria in Infancy” (IPTi) study.
Type of project

Third-party funded project

BFR research focus

Expositionsabschätzung und Bewertung biologischer Risiken

Organisational units and partners

Lead specialist group: Humanstudienzentrum Gesundheitlicher Verbraucherschutz (8HSZ)
Contact persons: Prof. Dr. Cornelia Weikert, Dr. Katharina Penczynski
External partner: Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Universität Münster

Funding body and grant number

Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft
2822DOKO12

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