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Mycotoxin contamination is a major food safety drawback towards the commercialization of food products. The commercialization of

This study reports a surveillance of multi-pesticide residues of fruits and vegetables sold in the local markets carried out in 2018-2019 in Botswana to access consumer safety. A validated method for analysis of 232 pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables was applied, based on QuEChERS-GC-MS/MS methodology. A total of 83 fruit and vegetable sold in different markets were bought from three different areas of the southern region . Levels of pesticides ranged between 0.0032 ± 0.0009 mg/kg and 70.4 ± 19.4 mg/kg. A total of 78% of the samples contained pesticide residues, whereas only 13% of the samples violated the EU/Codex MRLs. In particular, rape vegetable samples exceeded legislative limits most, followed by cabbage, green pepper and tomato. The most frequently detected compounds were chlopyrifos, chlorfenapyr, tebuconazole, methamidophos and cypermethrin. These results will serve as a foundation for future studies, involving continuous monitoring programmes.

Mycotoxin contamination is a major food safety drawback towards the commercialization of food products. The commercialization of khadi, a popular fermented alcoholic beverage of Botswana necessitates the investigation of the presence of mycotoxins. Khadi brewing involves the uncontrolled and unstandardized spontaneous fermentation of sun-dried Grewia flava fruits, which could be a source of mycotoxin-producing filamentous fungi (molds). This study sought to investigate the presence of mycotoxins producing fungi and mycotoxins in 18 samples of khadi collected in Central and Northern Botswana. Periconia thailandica, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Aspergillus ochraceus, Phoma eupyrena, Setosphaeria turcica, Cladosporium sphaerospermum, Chaetomium longiciliata, and Flavodon ambrosius were identified in 10 out of 18 khadi samples. Mycotoxins were detected using the Myco-10 Randox Evidence Investigator biochip kit and confirmed using a UPLC-ESI-MS/MS. Mycotoxins such as paxilline, ochratoxin A, ergot alkaloids, aflatoxin G1/G2, and zearalenone were detected using the Myco-10 Randox Evidence Investigator biochip kit. The Myco-10 results revealed that the mycotoxins in the khadi samples were lower than the regulatory limits set by FDA or European Commission. Confirmation of results using an UPLC-ESI-MS/MS system involved confirming selected mycotoxins (AFB1, DON. ZEA, FB1, FB2, FB3, NIV, and OTA) from selected khadi samples (Palapye 1, Palapye 2, Letlhakane 2, Maun 3, Mmashoro 3, and Tonota 3). The UPLC results demonstrated that the aforementioned mycotoxins in the selected khadi samples were below the detection thresholds. The study shows that while fungal isolates were present, there is no to minimal danger/risk of exposure to toxic mycotoxins after consumption of khadi. Towards commercialization endeavors, the production process would necessitate minimal mycotoxin monitoring and product preservation but no detoxifying steps.