Aflatoxins (AFs) are highly toxic and carcinogenic secondary metabolites produced mainly by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus , posing serious threats to global food safety, public health, and agricultural economies, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. This review synthesizes current evidence on the types, sources, and mechanisms of AF toxicity, emphasizing their widespread prevalence in staple crops such as maize, groundnuts, and rice. Climate change, poor agricultural practices, and inadequate storage conditions exacerbate contamination risks. Chronic AF exposure is associated with hepatocellular carcinoma, immune suppression, stunted growth in children, and acute poisoning episodes, such as the 2004 Kenyan outbreak that resulted in 125 deaths. Economically, AFs lead to an estimated USD 6–18 billion in annual losses due to trade rejections, healthcare costs, and productivity decline. This review also explores recent advances in sustainable and innovative mitigation strategies across pre‐ and post‐harvest stages. These include the use of atoxigenic biocontrol strains, genetic resistance, natural inhibitors, hermetic storage technologies, nanotechnology, biological detoxification, and climate‐smart agricultural practices. Additionally, emerging digital tools such as Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, blockchain‐based traceability, and machine learning models offer promising approaches for real‐time monitoring and predictive risk assessment. Despite these advancements, major challenges remain, including limited detection infrastructure, low awareness among smallholder farmers, and fragmented policy enforcement. The review concludes by emphasizing the need for integrated, multi‐sectoral interventions anchored in a One Health approach to reduce aflatoxin risks, promote food security, and safeguard human and environmental health globally.

Traditional beverages such as coffee leaf brew and Engere are widely consumed by local communities in the Gofa Zone of South Ethiopia Regional State. This study aimed to systematic documentation of the previously underexplored traditional brewing practices, ingredient compositions, consumption patterns, and perceived medicinal values of coffee leaf brew and Engere among the Gofa communities. A community-based cross-sectional household survey involving 385 respondents, complemented by focus group discussions, was conducted using structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 24. The findings revealed that 74% of respondents primarily use coffee leaves to prepare the brew, commonly combining them with spices, herbs, and sweeteners. In contrast, Engere is prepared differently: 37.7% of households reported using coffee leaf brew and milk as the main ingredients, with minimal additions of spices or herbs. More than half of the respondents (55.8%) consuming coffee leaf brew as a staple and stimulating beverage, whereas Engere was primarily valued for its perceived strength-enhancing and medicinal roles. Most participants (64.4%) reported no adverse health effects associated with coffee leaf brew consumption, and all respondents (100%) indicated no health-related problems linked to Engere. These findings show that coffee leaf brew and Engere are significant indigenous beverages with recognized functional and medicinal attributes and a long history of safe community-level consumption. This study calls for the continued documentation of this indigenous brewing knowledge to ensure its preservation, and for detailed biochemical, phytochemical, and safety studies to enable the standardization, optimization, and broader use of these culturally valuable functional beverages.