A farmer in Malawi examines her crop. (Photo: ©2016CIAT/NeilPalmer).
Malawi is strengthening its food control system with the aid of nuclear sciences, boosting consumer protection and export competitiveness.
With IAEA support through the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture and the technical cooperation programme , the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) has upgraded its laboratory capacity, helping the country meet food safety requirements for products such as milk, tea and macadamia nuts.
With targeted training and modern nuclear- and isotopic-based testing equipment, the MBS laboratory can now detect a wider range of contaminants and residues, including radionuclides, mycotoxins, pesticide and veterinary drug residues and toxic metals in several key food commodities. These capabilities are strengthening Malawi's food control system and enabling producers to put products in the market that meet both domestic and international standards.
IAEA support, which includes essential testing equipment and training, facilitating the MBS laboratory's participation in proficiency testing and establishing a laboratory information management system, has contributed to more efficient workflows and reliable data handling. These enhanced capabilities have enabled Malawi to expand its accreditation scope from one group of mycotoxins to seven and to significantly broaden its pesticide testing capacity from five pesticide residues to 150 in foods such as cereals and macadamia nuts.
"The Bureau of Standards and its partners plan to extend these monitoring programmes to a wider range of food commodities and environmental samples, while also training a new generation of analysts to ensure the sustainability of these safety efforts for years to come," said Bernard Thole, MBS Director General.
Analysts conducting food safety tests at the Malawi Bureau of Standards. (Photo: S. Kueli/MBS).
Testing Macadamia Nuts
As the world's sixth largest producer of macadamia nuts, Malawi contributes 11 000 metric tonnes to the global supply, making robust safety testing essential. Previously, Malawi lacked the capacity to reliably analyse contaminants in this high-value product. Today, with its upgraded analytical capacity, the MBS laboratory can detect toxic metals and radionuclides, including caesium-137, lead-210, and polonium-210. These radionuclides can pose health risks ranging from gastrointestinal damage to cancer, particularly with prolonged exposure through consumption.
The laboratory has also established a baseline radioactivity database for selected local foods. This not only serves as a reference point for strengthening routine monitoring, but it can also support rapid response in the event of radiological emergencies.
Meeting Food Export and Safety Requirements
Appreciated internationally for its rich, smooth and sweet flavour, tea is one of Malawi's top exports . Ensuring its competitiveness requires rigorous safety-related testing.
Milk, which in Malawi is predominantly produced by small-scale farmers, is vulnerable to microbiological and chemical hazards, posing health risks to consumers.
The MBS laboratory has begun applying techniques such as radioreceptor assays using carbon-14 and tritium tracers to rapidly and cost-effectively detect residues of chemicals used in animal production that may be present in milk and other foods . The lab now routinely tests milk for veterinary drug residues, supporting both consumer safety and improved livestock management by advising producers on appropriate agrochemical use in food production.
The laboratory is also using gamma spectrometry to precisely measure trace levels of radionuclides in food and environmental samples. These nuclear and other complementary techniques are now integrated into Malawi's routine food certification processes, helping ensure that food products entering and leaving the country can comply with safety standards and protect public health.
"We are grateful for the support provided, which has been transformative, closing critical gaps in Malawi's ability to monitor both radiological and chemical hazards in food and to better safeguard local and international consumers," said Stephen Massah Kuyeli, MBS Director of Testing Services.
"The progress achieved in Malawi reflects our shared commitment to strengthening national capabilities, not simply solving immediate challenges," said Dongxin Feng, Director of the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre. "Through training, technical analytical resources and knowledge transfer, we support countries in building laboratories that can independently monitor food products to ensure that food safety regulations are met and international standards are upheld."
