Some “Brukina” drinks include substances that cause cancer, according to UG research

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On a warm afternoon, one might want to unwind with a chilled bottle of “brukina” (also known as “bokina”), a dairy milk and millet beverage.

But have you bothered to look up the ingredients in this meal?

According to a study by the University of Ghana’s Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, some samples of “brukina,” as well as the millet and dairy milk used to make it, had unacceptable amounts of aflatoxins, which, when consumed repeatedly, can lead to cancer.

The Ghana Medical Journal published the study.

A fungus called Aspergillus produces a class of extremely hazardous chemicals known as aflatoxins.

The study sought to investigate levels of aflatoxin in ‘brukina’.

For the study, ‘brukina’ samples were purchased from ‘brukina’ producers monthly over a period of 7 months.

Twenty-one samples were collected from each site, Nima and Ashaiman in Accra, to be tested.

After testing, the scientists found that 1 sample from Ashaiman and 2 from Nima had high levels of aflatoxin (AFB1) above the acceptable limit.