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Aflatoxin contamination in food poses a significant health risk, especially in low‐ and middle‐income nations. While there is a need to increase food safety, there is a lack of aflatoxin‐related sociodemographic factors, knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAPs) among aflatoxin‐risk populations. The study is aimed at collecting information from the vendors and consumers of maize grains to investigate their sociodemographic factors and KAPs of aflatoxin contaminations in Kenya's small‐ and medium‐sized informal markets. A cross‐sectional survey using a simple random sampling approach was conducted from July 2022 to August 2022 in Meru County, Kenya. Vendors and consumers of maize grain markets were interviewed using face‐to‐face interviews and semistructured questionnaires. Females were the predominant gender among the maize grain vendor (82.7%) and consumer (83.72%) participants. Most vendors (95.7%) and consumers (94.2%) have formal education. Almost all vendors (96.2%) and consumers (95.3%) check for maize selling and purchasing quality. The proportion of visibly mouldy grains (25.5%, 29.0%), moisture level (20.2%, 12.9%), and size of grains (11.4%, 14.8%) were the commonest quality dimensions checked by vendors and consumers, respectively. Most vendors (86.8%) and consumers (70.9%) have heard about aflatoxin, but only 48.2% of the vendors and 52.1% of the consumers were aware and could mention the correct aflatoxin health effects. Vendors' and consumers' KAPs on aflatoxin varied significantly (p < 0.05) across subcounties, education levels, genders, and ages. Promoting public awareness, building capacity, and implementing aflatoxin‐related policies at all levels are crucial to ensure food safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: BACKGROUND: In Africa, food‐processing industries are emerging fast, especially for cereals. New low‐cost extrusion cookers give small enterprises an opportunity to enter the market for processed cereal products, in particular instant, fortified and flavoured mixes. Before engaging in the marketing of these products, consumers' interest needs to be assessed. This study used a combination of affective tests and experimental auctions with 200 consumers in Touba, Senegal, to evaluate four new products with conventional pearl millet flour as the control: instant pearl millet flour, instant pearl millet flour with added dry mango and carrot powder (naturally fortified), and the previous products with added conventional chemical micronutrient fortificants. RESULTS: During affective tests, consumers made little distinction between the five products in appearance, aroma, taste and overall appreciation. The experimental auctions showed that, without providing additional information on the products, there was no difference in ‘willingness to pay’ (WTP) between them. However, after that information is provided, consumers were willing to pay a modest premium for instant flour, and a large premium for added mango and carrot extract and for added micronutrients, but were not willing to pay a premium if those micronutrients came from natural sources. Income increased overall WTP, while education increased WTP for instant flour. CONCLUSION: There is a potential market in low‐income African countries for instant and fortified cereal food products, but likely in the higher income and education groups. The increased cost needs to be compared to the premiums consumers are willing to pay. In the next step, the new and promising products could be tested in pilot markets, with target consumers. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]