Parents’ Practices And Barriers In Reducing Aflatoxins Contamination In Complementary Foods For Children In Central Regions Of Tanzania

Abstract

Contamination of complementary foods by aflatoxin is a serious public health threat that requires attention to ensure that proper actions are taken to limit its health effects. A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess parents’ practices and barriers associated with reducing aflatoxins contamination in complementary foods among parents with children aged 6-23 months in central regions of Tanzania. Semi-structured questionnaire (364) respondents and focus group discussion (FGD) with (121) respondents were used to collect data. The information collected included socio-demographic variables, parents’ barriers, and actions to mitigate aflatoxin contamination and its reduction strategies. The results of the fitted model revealed that among proposed predictors of barriers for proper processing of grains/nuts to reduce spoilage/aflatoxin/ mould contamination at home, only a number of children that a participant had was statistically significant. The family with 3-7 children, the estimated odds that the barrier is time consuming rather than costly, was 0.305 times the estimated odds for the family with 1-2 children. This means that parents with 3-7 children were less likely to report that time consumed was the barrier rather than the costs involved in comparison to parents with 1-2 children. On the other hand, the estimated odds for parents with 3-7 children that the barrier reduces food quantity instead of costs, was equal to 2.389 times the estimated odds for parents with 1-2 children. The results of multiple logistic regression model for applying traditional fungicides/pesticides for storing crops showed that respondents aged above 34 years (OR=0.576, 95% CI: 0.342-0.969) were significantly few in applying traditional fungicides/pesticides for storing crops than those respondents aged less or equal to 34 years old. The respondents with no/incomplete primary education (OR=2.872, 95% CI: 1.283-6.427) and primary education (OR=2.256, 95% CI: 1.194-4.264) were significantly more in applying traditional fungicides/pesticides for storing crops than never been to school respondents. FGDs revealed that drying crops before taking them for storage, use of traditional herbs for example ash and mud applied/smeared/sprayed on the grain before and during storage was used to preserve crops/grain against fungi. It was revealed that no any formal or informal education had been provided about fungi contamination, and even control, rather, the respondents were generally preventing (mould) aflatoxins through experience. Therefore, there is a need to educate the community on good agricultural practices for the better food safety and health of the community in general.