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Vegetable oil (n = 81) for human consumption from Khartoum State in Sudan were analyzed for aflatoxins (AFs), using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection following extraction with methanol:water (80:20) and clean-up using petroleum ether. Sampling included sesame oil (n = 14), peanut oil (n = 21), and sunflower oil (n = 19) purchased from retail shops, and mixed oil produced by two local manufacturers (factory A, n = 15; factory B, n = 12). AF contamination was found in 80/81 (98.8%) samples, with total AF levels [Formula: see text] of 0.43-339.9 µg/kg and mean level of 57.5 µg/kg. All sesame oils had total AF levels that were much higher than the United States Food and Drug Administration acceptable limit of 20 µg/kg. The percentage of samples with total AF values <20 µg/kg in other oils varied and was 57.14% in peanut oil, 36.8% in sunflower oil, 66.7% (mixed oil from factory A), and 91.7% (mixed oil from factory B). In conclusion, the levels of total AFs in edible oil as available in Khartoum State are quite alarming. To reduce the health hazards for the consumers, an intervention strategy to manage AFs in food commodities from Sudan is urgently required.

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The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of obesity among schoolchildren in Khartoum state, Sudan. Multistage stratified random sampling methodology was used. Sampling included different residential areas within the state. A total of 1138 children between the ages of 10 and 18 years were involved in the study. More than 9% of the children were obese, 10.8% were overweight whereas combined overweight/obesity scored 20.5%. The prevalence of combined overweight/obesity among higher, middle and lower socioeconomic class children was 56.8, 27.3 and 3.1%, respectively. These figures, being higher than those reported among Nigerian and South African children, living in similar conditions, may refer to an emerging problem of overweight and obesity especially among children of the higher and middle class families. Adoption of national programs of promoting healthy food habits and physical activity among children is recommended.

Forty-three peanut butter samples from Khartoum State, Sudan, were analyzed for aflatoxins (AFs, AFB1 + AFB2 + AFG1 + AFG2) using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection after extraction with methanol:water (8:1, v/v) and clean-up using chloroform. All samples were contaminated with AFs, with total AF levels ranging between 26.7 and 853 μg/kg, and a mean total AF level of 287 ± 200.5 μg/kg. The highest concentrations were found for AFB1, (28 positive samples, maximum 534 μg/kg), while AFG1 was most frequently detected (43 positive samples, maximum 401 μg/kg). AFB2 (42 positive samples, maximum 3.2 μg/kg) and AFG2 (4 positive samples, maximum 30 μg/kg) were also present in these samples. The mean AF contamination levels found in this study exceeded by far all international regulations concerning maximum levels for this group of toxins. From the data, it is concluded that the levels of AF contamination in peanut butter from the Kartoum area are quite alarming, and may pose serious health hazards to consumers. Therefore, an intervention strategy to manage AF in peanut butter is urgently needed.