Application of atoxigenic strains of Aspergillus flavusto soils is the most successful aflatoxin biological control approach. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacies of native non-aflatoxin producing (atoxigenic) strains as a biocontrol agent in peanut field in China. The competitive atoxigenic A. flavus strains (JS4, SI1and SXN) isolated from different crops, in China were used for field evaluation. The strains applied during the growing season (June – October, 2016) in the field at rate of 25 kg inoculum/hectare. The colonization of these biocontrol agents has been investigated and the population of A. flavus communities in soil were determined. The incidences of toxin producing (toxigenic) A. flavus strains and aflatoxin contamination in peanuts were also determined. Treated plots produced significant reductions in the incidence of toxigenic isolates of A. flavus in soil. However, the total fungal densities were not significantly different (p > 0.05) after treatments. Large percentage of aflatoxin reductions, ranging from 82.8% (SXN) up to 87.2% (JS4) were recorded in treated plots. Generally, the results suggest that the strategy can be used to control aflatoxin contamination and continuous evaluation should be done.

Mycotoxin contamination of food and feed is a major concern in sub-Sahara African countries, particularly Nigeria. It represents a significant limit to health of human, livestock as well as the international trade. Aflatoxins, fumonisins, ochratoxin, zearalenone, deoxynivalenol and beauvericin are the major mycotoxins recognised in the aetiology of food safety challenges that precipitated countless number of diseases. In Nigeria, aflatoxins and fumonisin found in nearly all crops are the most common mycotoxins of economic and health importance such as sorghum, maize and groundnuts. Thus, consumption of food contaminated with mycotoxins are inevitable, hence the need for adequate regulation is necessary in these frontier economies as done in many developed economies to ensure food safety for human and animals. In low and middle-income countries, especially Nigeria, there is lack of awareness and sufficient information on the risk associated with consequent of mycotoxin contamination on wellbeing of human, animals health and the economy. It is based on the foregoing that this paper summarized the status of mycotoxin present in Nigerian food and feeds relative to the global regulatory standards. This aimed at preventing consuming mycotoxin contaminated food stuff while confronting its associated challenges. Suggestions on some possible control strategies to mitigate vending mycotoxin food and feeds were made.