Introduction: Aflatoxins pose a significant health risk to both humans and domesticated animals. Chickens are frequently fed aflatoxin-contaminated grain, which can lead to the accumulation of these toxins in their muscles, eggs, and other tissues, including giblets. The consumption of aflatoxin-contaminated chicken products may therefore represent a public health concern.

Aim: We assessed the level of total aflatoxin contamination in chicken meat and giblets obtained from local poultry processing facilities in Maputo.

Methods: We analyzed thirty-five chicken-derived samples—including meat (n = 13), liver (n = 12), and gizzards (n = 10)—from broiler chickens sourced from local poultry processing facilities in Maputo. Total aflatoxin levels were determined using the MaxSignal® Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) kit (Bioo Scientific Corporation), following the manufacturer’s instructions. A cut-off value of 4 ppb was used to determine positivity or negativity.

Results: Total aflatoxin were detected in 10 of 13 meat samples, 11 of 12 liver samples, and 8 of 10 gizzard samples (p=0.301). The mean contamination levels were 4.53 ppb (95% CI: 3.49–5.56) for meat, 6.02 ppb (95% CI: 5.24–6.80) for liver, and 5.72 ppb (95% IC: 4.43–7.02) for gizzards. No statistically significant differences were observed in aflatoxin levels between the different tissue samples (p=0.056). All detected levels were below the maximum allowable limit (10 μg/kg) for total aflatoxin in primary eligible food in Mozambique.

Conclusions: The results suggest a relatively uniform exposure across different edible chicken tissues. These findings highlight the need for continued surveillance of aflatoxin contamination in poultry products to safeguard public health, especially considering the cumulative risk of low-level chronic exposure.

Keywords: aflatoxins; poultry products; food safety; ELISA; Mozambique