Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2022) 11(05): 170-181 170 Original Research Article https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2022.1105.021 Risk of Environmental Chemical Contaminants Associated with Animal Feeding in Peri Urban Areas of Kisumu Town Charles Muleke Inyagwa 1* , Kenneth Orengo 2 , Price Amanya 3 and Raymond Mdachi 4 1 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, Egerton University, P.O. Box 536-20115 Egerton, Kenya 2 Central Veterinary Investigation Laboratories (CVIL), Kabete, Kenya 3 Department of Agricultural Economics and Agri-Business Management, Egerton University 4 Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KARLO), Kenya *Corresponding author ABSTRACT Introduction Food safety is a growing concern in the peri-urban areas dependent on food chains (Shimshoni, 2017). Safe, good quality food is key to food security, public health and economic development since it promotes trade (FAO, 2008). The production of safe food of animal origin is a responsibility of livestock farmers, animal feed suppliers, and public health and extension officers, who are the stakeholders. Majority of those keeping livestock in peri-urban slums are vulnerable groups of female-headed International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 11 Number 05 (2022) Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com The objective of this study was to determine, quantify and disseminate the level of environmental chemical contaminants in the topsoil, water, pasture, milk, blood, feaces, kidney, and adipose tissues from cattle reared in peri-urban slum of Kisumu County. Various samples were collected from Mamboleo, Nyalenda and Otonglo in Kisumu County in the months of April and August 2019 respectively to determine possible seasonal or environmental variability of contaminants. Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to identify and quantify the level of toxic heavy metals and the results were compared to WHO food safety limits.Flotation method was used to determine Helminth’s infections. Viable bacterial cell counts were determined using the Spread-Plate method. The heavy metals analyzed were: Lead (Pb), Mercury (Hg), Cadmium (Cd), Arsenic (As) and Copper (Cu). One- way ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) test was used to determine significant difference in the mean level of heavy metals. There were variations in mean heavy concentration levels between the two visits (p<0.05). Helminthosis was prevalent (59.5%) and total Fecal Egg Count (FEC) varied across samples. Study findings show varying heavy metal concentration levels which exceed WHO/FAO food safety limits implying livestock kept in peri-urban setting of Kisumu town are at a risk of ingest contaminated pasture, threatening food safety among consumers. This study recommends policies aimed at mitigating pollution from chemical contaminants and other anthropogenic activities and farmer sensitization on better farming system with limited risks on food safety and animal-human food chain. Keywords Toxic heavy metals, peri-urban, food safety, Kisumu town Received: 10 April 2022 Accepted: 28 April 2022 Available Online: 10 May 2022 Article Info