Physical Prevention of Aflatoxin Contamination of Maize by Solar Drying

Abstract

Three types of solar dryers were constructed by using inexpensive local materials for drying the corn kernels. Aflatoxin and Aspergillus flavus were not detected from the dehusked corn dried in the two stationary layers of corn ears on the solar dryer No. 1. Moisture content of the kernels ranged 15-16% within 9 days of drying . When dehusked corn ears and shelled corn kernels were dried on the solar dryer No. 2 with two layers of corn ears and 4-cm-thick respectively, A. flavus and aflatoxin were detected only from the latter samples. The best result was obtained from the dehusked and shelled corn dried on the solar dryer No.3 in which the drying floor was elevated up to 0.3 m over the cement floor. Moisture content of the corn kernels was reduced to 15% within 2 sunny days, whereas A. flavus and aflatoxin were non-detectable.