Project Lead(s): Jacek Chrostowski
Issue
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, 25% of the world’s food crops are affected by mycotoxins, and countries near the equator – in particular in sub-Saharan Africa – are most at risk.
Mycotoxins (including aflatoxin B, DON, ochratoxin A and others caused by molds in maize) are responsible for significant health problems in people and livestock.
Solution
The project sought to develop a wireless biosensor network to detect mycotoxins in maize harvesting, storage and transportation, based on aptamers.
Aptamers are single-stranded oligonucleotides that fold into distinct, three-dimensional conformations capable of binding strongly and selectively to a target molecule.
The biosensors are wirelessly connected to Bluetooth-enabled smart phones with a software interface, which allows the phones to interact with the wireless server and provide farmers with usable information.
Outcome
A planned pilot study of the approach on Tanzanian farms could not be undertaken, due to delays in prototyping of the aptamer.
However, the concept of measuring mycotoxins in the field, with sensors wirelessly connected to smart phones, will be explored further and it is anticipated that when the concept is implemented on a larger scale, it will enable remote monitoring and help reduce levels of food contamination in Africa.
A patent has been filed for the new aptamer.
Another achievement of this project was the development of a GIS mapping service using Ushahidi open source, to collect data from the farmers using Android smartphone software and forwarding such data to the server.
A set of animation movies for cell phones in local languages has also been produced, in collaboration with Scientific Animations without Borders, and there are plans to distribute these in Tanzania and Kenya.
The technology developed is ready for field testing and large-scale production, and the project team intends to apply for Phase II Transition To Scale funding.
Their collaboration with the PACA (Partnership for Aflatoxin Control in Africa) organization in Nairobi will be extended, and a pilot with small farmers on proper storage of maize (to reduce the levels of mycotoxins) will be implemented in 2016–2017.