{"id":2000131422,"date":"2026-11-06T12:31:09","date_gmt":"2026-11-06T10:31:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/?p=2000131422"},"modified":"2026-11-06T12:31:15","modified_gmt":"2026-11-06T10:31:15","slug":"rwandan-researcher-warns-of-hidden-toxins-in-grain-products","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/rwandan-researcher-warns-of-hidden-toxins-in-grain-products\/","title":{"rendered":"Rwandan researcher warns of hidden toxins in grain products"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

La Fontaine Bahatsi, a researcher in Food Science and Technology, made the observation based on a study of microorganisms affecting buckwheat, a crop used as a grain. He conducted the research while completing his postgraduate studies at the University of Nebraska\u2013Lincoln in the United States. The study was published in September 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The research examined microorganisms and aflatoxin B1 contamination in buckwheat flour and whole grains purchased from different online retailers in 2024 and 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of the 97 samples tested for aflatoxin B1, 54 were flour samples and 43 were whole-grain samples. In 2024, the toxin was detected in 17 of the 44 flour samples, representing 39%, while none of the 28 whole-grain samples tested positive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2025, aflatoxin B1 was detected in seven of the 10 flour samples and 10 of the 15 whole-grain samples. These findings relate specifically to the samples examined in the study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Microbiological testing also found higher levels of contamination in flour than in whole grains, pointing to the importance of maintaining hygiene during food processing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although Bahatsi’s research focused on buckwheat, a crop that is not commonly grown in Rwanda, he told IGIHE that the quality-control methods used in the study could also be applied to grains cultivated in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat my research emphasises is that food safety should not be judged solely by appearance or whether food has visibly gone bad. There are contaminants and toxins that people cannot see or detect through ordinary means; laboratory testing is required,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What the findings mean for Rwanda’s grain crops<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bahatsi explained that maize, sorghum, rice and wheat grown in Rwanda can also be affected by microorganisms, including those that produce toxins, particularly when crops are not harvested, dried or stored properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He noted that Rwanda already faces challenges in controlling aflatoxin contamination in maize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, research conducted in 900 farmers’ storage facilities in the Southern Province found that grain storage practices play a significant role in determining the risk of contamination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, a report by the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) found that 15% of 300 maize samples collected from 15 districts had aflatoxin levels exceeding the maximum limit applied in the report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFood safety does not simply mean having enough food. It also means having food of good quality that does not put the health of consumers at risk. This is the main objective of my research, which I wanted to share with Rwandans and connect to Rwanda’s agricultural development and food safety priorities,\u201d Bahatsi said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said food quality monitoring should continue throughout the supply chain, from the field to the final consumer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the Government and its partners have introduced initiatives to improve crop drying and storage, he noted that gaps remain in knowledge, equipment and the consistent application of proper practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An assessment by MINIMEX, a maize-processing company, found that it rejected 50% of the maize delivered to it because of mould contamination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Preventing contamination starts in the field<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among the measures Bahatsi recommends are using quality seeds, controlling pests and crop diseases, harvesting at the right time and avoiding mixing good-quality produce with damaged crops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also emphasised the importance of drying grains quickly and properly after harvesting, avoiding drying them directly on unprepared ground, and using moisture meters to establish whether they have reached the appropriate dryness level before storage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During storage, he recommends keeping produce in clean, dry facilities and placing it on pallets to prevent contact with damp floors or walls. Farmers should also use appropriate storage bags and regularly check for pests or signs of contamination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For grain processors, he stressed the need to clean milling equipment, observe hygiene standards and test produce rather than relying solely on conventional food preparation methods at household level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOne important point I want to emphasise is that once aflatoxin has formed in grains, ordinary cooking, washing or heating cannot be relied upon as safe ways of removing it. That is why preventing contamination and testing produce are extremely important,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bahatsi believes his research could contribute to improving food toxin testing methods and provide a basis for further studies into whether buckwheat could be cultivated in Rwanda as an additional crop alongside those already grown in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
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La Fontaine Bahatsi said food safety should not be judged solely by the appearance of food, stressing the importance of laboratory testing to detect invisible contaminants.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Research conducted by Rwandan researcher La Fontaine Bahatsi highlighted gaps in grain harvesting, processing and handling practices along the supply chain, from production to the final consumer.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A Rwandan food science researcher has warned that grain products can contain harmful toxins that are not detectable through visual inspection, highlighting the need for stronger food safety monitoring and quality control.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2000131443,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"archived_slugs":[],"footnotes":"","igh_game_id":0},"categories":[38],"tags":[151,69],"byline":[170],"hashtag":[],"class_list":["post-2000131422","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-37","tag-editors-choice","tag-homehighlights","byline-igihe"],"bylines":[{"id":170,"name":"IGIHE","slug":"igihe","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default avatar","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","sizes":[]},"user_id":8,"twitter_handle":""}],"contributors":[{"id":170,"name":"IGIHE","slug":"igihe","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default avatar","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","sizes":[]},"user_id":8,"twitter_handle":""}],"featured_image":{"id":2000131443,"url":"https:\/\/cdn.igihe.com\/en\/2026\/11\/Ibigori.jpg","alt":"","caption":"Research conducted by Rwandan researcher La Fontaine Bahatsi highlighted gaps in grain harvesting, processing and handling practices along the supply chain, from production to the final consumer.","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","width":1000,"height":667,"sizes":{"thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/cdn.igihe.com\/en\/2026\/11\/Ibigori-150x150.jpg","width":150,"height":150},"medium":{"url":"https:\/\/cdn.igihe.com\/en\/2026\/11\/Ibigori-300x200.jpg","width":300,"height":200},"medium_large":{"url":"https:\/\/cdn.igihe.com\/en\/2026\/11\/Ibigori-768x512.jpg","width":768,"height":512},"large":{"url":"https:\/\/cdn.igihe.com\/en\/2026\/11\/Ibigori.jpg","width":1000,"height":667},"full":{"url":"https:\/\/cdn.igihe.com\/en\/2026\/11\/Ibigori.jpg","width":1000,"height":667}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2000131422","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2000131422"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2000131422\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2000131454,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2000131422\/revisions\/2000131454"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2000131443"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2000131422"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2000131422"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2000131422"},{"taxonomy":"byline","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/byline?post=2000131422"},{"taxonomy":"hashtag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hashtag?post=2000131422"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}