CODE OF PRACTICE AND
COMMODITIES STANDARDS,
PRESENTED AT NIGERIA
AFLATOXIN WORKSHOP
BY
STANDARDS ORGANISATION OF
NIGERIA
Standards Organisation of Nigeria
• Established by decree 56 of 1971
• The apex standards body in Nigeria
• Carries out standardisation and conformity assessment
programmes
• Advises Nigerian Government at all levels on issues of
standards and quality assurance
• Represents Nigeria in International, regional Standards
bodies etc
Introduction
• In today’s changing world, safety and security have
generally remained basic human needs.
• Ensuring the safety of food has been a major focus of
international and national action over the last few years.
• Both microbiological and chemical hazards are of
concern.
Introduction
• Among chemical hazards, the contamination of food and
feed by aflatoxin (toxic metabolites of fungi), fishery
products by phycotoxins (toxins produced by algae) and
edible plant species by their plant toxins have been
recently characterized by the World Health Organization
(WHO) as significant sources of food-borne illnesses,
• Of these three categories of natural toxins, most attention
has been directed to aflatoxin until now.
Introduction
• In several parts of the world, aflatoxin currently represent
a major food safety issue.
• The knowledge that aflatoxin can have serious effects on
humans and animals has led many countries to establish
regulations on aflatoxin in food and feed in the last
decades to safeguard the health of humans, as well as
the economic interests of producers and traders
Basis for Regulating Aflatoxins
The primary scientific basis for the establishment of
regulations is Risk Assessment
• Risk Assessment - scientific evaluation of the probability
of occurrence of known or potential adverse health effects
resulting from human exposure to food-borne hazard
Basis for Regulating Aflatoxins
Various factors play a role in decision-making processes
focused on setting limits for aflatoxin. These include:
• scientific factors to assess risk (such as the availability of
toxicological data), food consumption data,
• knowledge about the level and distribution of aflatoxin in
commodities, and
• Analytical methodology.
• Economic factors, such as commercial and trade interests
and food security issues, also have an impact
Legal and Regulatory Environment
• Aflatoxin regulations have been established in many
countries during the past decades and newer regulations
are still being issued, difficulties not withstanding,
Standards' Approach Towards the Control
of Aflatoxin
• In Nigeria, Nigerian Industrial Standards/Nigerian Code of
Practice are the main framework for the control of
Aflatoxins in Food.
• As a direct response to the emerging food safety
challenges, focus of food standardisation world wide has
shifted from food composition to food safety.
• All new food Standards in Nigeria have a section for
Chemical contaminants and
• Aflatoxins are specified , where relevant
• SON is the Process of adopting/adapting all existing and
relevant Codex Codes of Practice for the Prevention and
Elimination of aflatoxin.
• Also work on Codes of Practices Targeted at the
prevention and Reduction of Aflatoxins in Sesame Seeds
and Shea Nut/Butter are at advance stage of completion
• Old standards are being revised to adequately address
the issue of aflatoxin and Aflatoxins in Particular.
Maximum Limits Specified
• In all our new and revised standards the maximum limits
for Aflatoxins are:
• Total Aflatoxins – 4 mg/kg (ppb)
• Aflatoxin B1
- 2mg/kg (ppb)
Nigerian Industrial Standards with
specifications for Aflatoxin
Code
Standard for Maize Grit
Number
NIS 718:2010
Standard for Kulikuli
(Groundnut Cake)
NIS 594:2008
aflatoxin
Fumonisin B1,
B2 (ppb) (max):
3
Aflatoxin
Aflatoxin B1 (ppb) (max): 2
Total aflatoxin (max):
4 ppb
Standard for Groundnut
Seed
NIS 491:2006
Standard for Maize Grain
NIS 253:2003
Standard for Soya Beans
Flour
NIS 342:1997
Standard for Maize Oil
Standard for Groundnut
Oil
Sorghum Grains
Millet Grains
NIS 391:2000
NIS 388:2000
Aflatoxin B1 (max): <2 ppb
Yes. 20 ug/kg (max) in-shell
and for kernels grades 1, 2,
and 3.
Bieing reviewed. 4 ppb for
total Aflatoxin and 2ppb for
Aflatoxin B1
Aflatoxin mg/kg (max):
0.001. aflatoxin level
(under review)
Not mentioned
Not mentioned
NIS 328: 2003
NIS 467: 2003
10 ppb
10 ppb
Animal Feeds
Specification for Pig Feeds
NIS 20:2003
Specification for Poultry Feeds
ICS 67.120
Livestock Products
Standard for Classification of Chicken Eggs and
Egg Products
NIS 512:2006
Code of Practice for Fish and Fishery Products
NCP 24:2004
Not mentioned. However, there
is also no mention of fish feed
quality—which would be logical
place for aflatoxin/
aflatoxin to be mentioned.
Composite Flour
NIS 294:2010
Total Aflatoxins-4ppb (under
review)
Total Aflatoxins-4ppb; M1 –
0.05ppb (under review)
Food for Infants and Young Children-Infant
formular
NIS 255:2010
Food for Infants and Young Children-Iprocessed
Cereals based Foods
NIS 256:2010
Total Aflatoxins-4ppb; M1 –
0.05ppb (under review)
Standard for Wheat Semolina
NIS 396:2010
Total Aflatoxins-4ppb (under
review)
Challenges
• Agencies charged with monitoring the conformity to set
standards do not have adequate capacity to do that,
• Weak capacity for risk analysis
• Weak agricultural extension services to educate
farmers/parkers GAP
Way Forward
Nigeria dose not have its Aflatoxin level, further
research for indigenous products is
recommended. Examples
•Melon seed
•Bush mango
National policies on Aflatoxin comprising of all
stakeholders is recommended.
Thank You for Your Attention!