EVALUATION OF MOULDS CONTAMINATION OF CEREALS AND LEGUMES SOLD IN DUTSINMA METROPOLIS AND THEIR AFLATOXIN PRODUCTION POTENTIAL
Abstract
Contamination of food materials by aflatoxigenic moulds put the health and well-being of consumers of such food materials at risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. The aim of this study was to isolate and identify moulds capable of producing mycotoxins from maize millet, guinea corn, groundnut and groundnut cake sold to consumers within Dutsinma metropolis, Katsina State of Nigeria. Fungal isolation was done using the direct plating of serially diluted samples of the cereals and legumes, and direct plating technique of surface-sterilized samples of same on potato dextrose agar. Fungi colonies were purified by sub-culturing on fresh potato dextrose agar. The Isolates were identified by comparison of colony morphology and microscopic characteristics with standard reference guide for identification. Determination of aflatoxin producing potential of fungal isolates was carried out using fluorescence under UV-light at 365nm. A total of 124 fungi were isolated and identified. Fifty five (55) of the isolates were identified as Aspergillus Spp., giving a prevalence of 44.4%, and 69 as non-aflatoxigenic moulds (55.6%). Among the Aspergillusgroup, A.niger had the highest prevalence (35.0%), followed by A.flavus (31.7%), A.fumigatus (15.0%). A.lentulus (10.0%) were less prevalent. Determination of aflatoxin production potential using UV-light, showed that 15 isolates fluoresced blue, 21 fluoresced green and 15 fluoresced blue/yellow (reverse plate), indicating potential production of various toxins including aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2. The results showed that cereals and legumes sold in Dutsinma metropolis were highly contaminated with Aspergillus Spp., which showed potential for aflatoxin production.
References
AbdelHameed, A. A, Ayesh, A.M, AbdelRazik, M. M. and AbdelMawla, H. F. (2012). Fungiandsomemycotoxinsproducingspeciesintheairofsoybeana ndcottonmills: acasestudy. Atmospheric Pollution Research, 3:126-131.
Abubakar, N., Mohammed, S.S. and Datsugwai, L.Z. (2017). Assessment of Aflatoxins and Aflatoxigenic Fungi Associated with Dried Vegetables from Selected Markets within Kaduna Metropolis, Industrial Engineering. 1(1):8-13. doi: 10.11648/j.ie.20170101.12
Bankole, S.A. and Adebanjo, A. (2003) Mycotoxins in food in West Africa: current situation and possibilities of controlling it. African Journal of Biotechnology. 2(9) 254-263.
Byloos M. (2011). Top 5 food safety concerns. Planet Matters and More: guide to sustainable food.
Charles, W.S. (2013). Breaking the Mold: New Strategies for Fighting Aflatoxins. Environ. Health Perspect, 121(9): A270–A275.
COT. (1997). (Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment) Statement on Ochratoxin A in dried wire fruit. Department of Health, London.143.
Cumitech II: Practical Methods for Culture and Identification of Fungi in the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory. 1980. American Society for Microbiology, Washington, D.C.
Desjardin, A.N. (2006). Fusariummycotoxins: Chemistry, Genetic and Biology.1st Edn. The American Phytopathlogy.
FAO. (1999). Preventing Mycotoxin Contamination. Food, Nutrition and Agriculture. FAO Food and Nutrition Division, Rome.
FAO. (1997). Food and Agricultural Organization worldwide regulations for mycotoxins, 1995, FAQ food and Nutrition paper 55.FAO, UN, Rome.
Fung, F. and Clark R.F.(2004). Health effects of mycotoxins: a toxicology overview. Journal of Clinical Toxicology, 42 (2): 217– 234.
IARC. Monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risks in humans. International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). IARC Press, Lyon, France 2002, Vol. 82.
Kung'u, J., 2005. Mould and food spoilage. Mold and Bacteria Consulting Laboratories (MBL) Inc., Mississauga, Canada, July 8, 2005.
Laura, E.S. and Allen, J.W. (2009). Aflatoxin in corn. University of Missouri-Delta Research Centre, USA.
Lillehoj, E.G., (1982) The Aflatoxin in maize problem: the historical perspective. Applied Microbiology., 20 (782) 1970-1972.
Liu Y, Chang C. C, Marsh G. M, Wu F. (2012). Population attributable risk of aflatoxin-related liver cancer: systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur. J Cancer, 48:2125-2136.
Liu Y, Wu F. (2010). Global burden of aflatoxin-induced hepatocellular carcinoma: a risk assessment. Environ. Health Perspect, 118:818-824.
Mady, A. I. (2001). Deterioration and spoilage of peanuts and desiccated coconuts from two sub-sahara tropical East Africa countries due to the associated mycobiota and their degradative enzymes. Mycopathologia Journal, 150: 67 – 68.
Michael, C.K. (2013). Aflatoxins as a Cause of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.J.Gastrointestin. Liver Dis., 22 (3):305-310
Muthomi, J.W., Mureithi, B.K., Chemining’wa, G.N., Gathumbi, J.K., and Mutit, E.W. (2012). Aspergillus species and Aflatoxin B1 in soil, maize grain and flour samples from semiarid and humid regions of Kenya. International Journal of Agricultural science, 2(22-34).
Okoth, .S., Beatrice, .N., Vicent, .A., Erastus, .K., Hannu, .K., and Vesa, .J. (2012). Toxigenic potential of Aspergillus species occurring on maize kernels from two Agro-Ecological zones in Kenya.,Toxins., 4(11) 991-1007; Doi:10.3390/toxins4110991
Sanders, I.R. and Fitter, A.H. (1992).The Ecology and Functioning of Vesicular-ArbuscularMycorrhizas in Co-Existing Grassland Species. II. Nutrient Uptake and Growth of Vesicular- ArbuscularMycorrhizal Plants in a Semi-Natural Grassland. The New Phytologist,120(4):525-533.
Strosnider, H., Azziz-Baumgartner, E., Banziger, M., et al. (2006). Work group report: Public health strategies for reducing aflatoxin exposure in developing countries. Environ Health Perspect.,114:1898-1903.
Williams,J.H, Phillips,T.D, Jolly,P.E, Stiles,J.K, Jolly,C.M, Aggarwal, D. (2004). Human aflatoxicosis in developing countries: a review of toxicology, exposure, potential health consequences, and interventions. Am J ClinNutr., 80:1106-1122.
World Health Organization (2018). Aflatoxin. Food Safety Digest, WHO/NHM/FOS/RAM/18.1
Yabe, K., Ando, Y., Ito, M. and Terakado, N. (1987). Simple Method for Screening Aflatoxin-Producing Molds by UV Photography. Appl. And Environ. Microbiology, 52(2):230-234.
Copyright (c) 2023 FUDMA JOURNAL OF SCIENCES
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
FUDMA Journal of Sciences
