Ensuring food safety is critical to sustainable agricultural development and public health in Africa. In line with this, the Food Safety for Africa (FS4Africa) EU project successfully conducted a two-day training on Aflatoxin Analysis and Vitamin E Analysis on February 7–8, 2025, at ARC Hotel, at Egerton University, Njoro, Nakuru City, Kenya. This training was organized by Fs4Africa team at Egerton University under UC1 lead, Prof Paul Kimurto, Prof George Owuor, and Dr Miriam Charimbu in collaboration with Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), the Country’s National regulator of seed and Food safety, led by Dr Ivan Ivan Obare and Samwel. The 2-day training brought together 33 participants; students, FS4Africa team members, project partners, and industry partners.

Combating Aflatoxin contamination in food and feed

Aflatoxin contamination poses a significant risk to food security and public health, as it is a known carcinogen that affects staple crops like groundnuts, sorghum, and maize among others. The FS4Africa training aimed to increase awareness of aflatoxin risks and provide mitigation strategies to enhance food safety in Africa. Participants were introduced to aflatoxin detection and analysis techniques, explored its severe health implications, and learned about effective prevention methods such as the use of resistant crop varieties, application of Aflasafe biocontrol products, and improved post-harvest handling practices.

Strengthening food quality through Vitamin E Analysis

In addition to aflatoxin analysis, the training focused on Vitamin E analysis, an essential aspect of food quality assessment. Vitamin E plays a crucial role in nutritional security, acting as an antioxidant that protects cells from oxidative stress. Understanding its levels in food products contributes to better dietary health and food quality assurance. By incorporating Vitamin E analysis, FS4Africa promotes a more comprehensive approach to food safety and nutritional well-being. The UC 1 led by Egerton team will focus on breeding groundnut varieties with high Vit E content and bundling this with Aflasafe to reduce aflatoxin contamination from farm production, through enhancing good agronomic practices, post-harvest handling and also storage and marketing in informal markets which constitute >90% of sales of groundnut produce. The project is being implemented in major groundnut growing areas in Kenya including Meru County in Eastern Kenya, Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo and Nakuru counties in Rift valley, Siaya and Busia counties in Western Kenya.

Building capacity for Food Safety Governance

The hands-on training provided participants with practical skills in laboratory analysis, equipping them with technical expertise to assess food contaminants and nutritional quality. By engaging students, researchers, and industry professionals, FS4Africa continues to foster a multi-stakeholder approach to food safety governance in Africa. Strengthening these capacities is key to developing resilient food systems that protect public health and support sustainable agricultural practices.

Advancing Food Safety in Africa through research and innovation

Through initiatives like this training, the FS4Africa project remains committed to enhancing food safety, reducing health risks, and improving agricultural resilience across the continent. By integrating research, innovation, and capacity-building efforts, the project aims to create sustainable solutions for food safety challenges in Africa. Collaboration with key stakeholders, continued training, and investment in food safety technologies will be vital to achieving long-term success in combating foodborne risks.