Association between aflatoxin content of food and hepatoma frequency in Uganda

Aflatoxin levels were determined in 480 food samples stored for consumption between harvests and collected from different parts of Uganda, in 1966–1967. Among these samples, 29.6% contained detectable levels of aflatoxins and 3.7% contained more than 1 μg/kg. The frequency of aflatoxin contamination was particularly high in provinces with a high hepatoma incidence, or where cultural and economic factors favored the ingestion of moldy foods. This observation suggests that aflatoxin exposure may account for the high incidence of hepatoma in Uganda and perhaps elsewhere.