Grained food may contain cancer-causing aflatoxins; Dr Kiggundu

The programme leader Biodiversity and Biotechnology at the National Agricultural Research Organization Dr. Andrew Kiggundu has warned Ugandans to be careful on the grained food they eat that could be causing a risk of cancer. He says that some grained food especially ground nuts contain Aflatoxins which is dangerous and would cause cancer. He noted that some grain foods are poorly harvested, dried and sorted by farmers and when packaged for eating expose people to disease.

Kiggundu warned head teachers to be vigilant when buying grained food for students because they may be exposed to this dangerous toxic. He also says that Ugandans should not mistake Hybrid seeds to be genetically modified seeds from farmers and market. Dr. Andrew Kiggundu says that hybrid seeds have been on market for so long especially for commercial farmers. He asked members of parliament to pass the National Biotechnology and Biosafety bill 2012 to enable Banana farmers access disease resistant bananas which are still laying at research centers in the country.

The doctor rejected claims that GMOs are on the market though South Africa has been using this technology for  some years.