Spices Board is set to launch a nationwide field publicity campaign aimed at farmers, traders and exporters in the major spice-growing areas to address the issue of aflatoxin that affects the quality of spices.
The board launched a campaign focused on nutmeg and mace today in Ponkunnam in Kottayam district, a major nutmeg growing area. It would create awareness on the need to control and avoid the incidence of aflatoxin.
The two spices find wide application in food industry and medicine and hence the paramount importance in monitoring quality. Kerala is a major producing centre of nutmeg and mace with the annual production between 4,000-5,000 tonnes. Countries in the European Union, West Asia, South Africa and Japan have been importing good quantities of these products in whole form besides in the form of oils and oleoresins.
A naturally occurring toxin, aflatoxin in nutmeg and mace has become a major issue especially in the European markets where many alerts have been issued on the quality aspects. Exporters, farmers, scientists from Indian Institute of Spices Research, Kerala Agriculture University and experts from the Spices Board will address the campaign meetings.
The Board has released special literature on the subject besides an instructional video. Campaign meetings are scheduled to be held at Edakunnam and Pariyaram on June 4, at Vanavarayar College of Agriculture at Meenakshipuram on June 7, at Erattupettah on June 9, at Adimali on June 10 and at Kanjoor on June 11, a Spices Board press release said.
The campaign is also extended to nutmeg growing areas on the Konkan coast. Interactions with nutmeg farmers are also planned in Raigad district of Maharashtra where substantial nutmeg tree population exist.
The major cause of the presence of aflatoxin in nutmeg is the poor primary processing methods followed. As the crop is harvested during monsoon season, sun drying is not possible and most farmers adopt traditional methods to dry the harvested nutmeg. This results in inadequate drying and becomes susceptible to fungal attack during storage. Thus, it is important to ensure drying of the produce at the farmer’s level to a safe moisture level at which growth of fungi and mould will be inhibited.
Aflatoxin contamination does not affect crop productivity but makes the produce unfit for consumption as toxins are injurious to health. The marketability of contaminated produce, particularly in the international market is considerably reduced due to stringent standards of permissible limits on aflatoxin contamination set by the importing countries.
European Spice Association (ESA) comprising of the members of the European Union has prescribed limits for aflatoxin as 5 ppb for B1 and 10 ppb for the group. Member countries and others have fixed individual limits ranging from 1 to 20 ppb.
Aflatoxins in spices are generally classified into four categories — B1, B2, G1, and G2. B1 and B2 are produced by A. flavus, whereas G1 and G2 are produced by A. parasticus. Of these B1 is the most virulent carcinogen and has received the most attention.
