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e - ISSN: 2602-8360 - Volumen. 2, Nº 2, Junio – Noviembre 2018e - ISSN: 2602-8360 - Volumen. 2, Nº 2, Junio – Noviembre 2018
Isitua et al. Toxigenic fungal contamination
pp. 7-12
INTRODUCTION
In recent years food and feed safety has been a major
concern of nations especially as more knowledge
is gathered on the occurrence of natural toxins in
food stuffs, fertilizers, animal feed and edible plant
materials. World Health Organization (WHO) has
characterized naturally occurring toxins as signicant
sources of food borne illnesses (1), while the Food
and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has estimated
that fungal toxins alone contaminate about 25% of
agricultural products worldwide resulting in great
losses for farmers (2) (3).
Food safety is usually determined by the absence or
presence of pathogenic organisms, or their toxins,
and the number of pathogens, with their expected or
destructive agents (4). The level of spoilage microbes
reects the microbial quality, wholesomeness,
of a food product as well as the effectiveness of
measures used to control or destroy such microbes
(5). Food borne disease and microbial spoilage of
food result from the failure of or inability to control
microorganisms at one or more stages of food chain,
from raw material production to consumption of the
nal product (6). Specically, the microbiological tools
are used to assess the safety of food, adherence to
good manufacturing practices (GMPs), the keeping
quality (shelf life) of certain perishable foods and
the utility (suitability) of a food or ingredient for a
particular purpose (7).
In Nigeria, like other tropical and sub-tropical regions
of the world, aatoxicosis is a public health problem
and control of aatoxin contamination requires
thorough risk assessment, monitoring, quality
control and empirical data (8). Aatoxin problem
is global; however, it is more serious in tropical
countries of the world where relative humidity is
high and temperatures conducive for the growth
and production of aatoxin by moulds. Aatoxin are
potent carcinogens that are produced as secondary
metabolites of strains of Aspergillus parasiticus
and Aspergillus avus that grow on important food
crops such as groundnuts, maize, cocoa and other
oilseeds (9).
The consumption of cocoa-based beverages is
fast gaining ground in Nigeria due to its nutritional
and health benets. Its production has been an
increasing trend in Nigeria without much concern for
whether or not they meet the microbiological criteria
for food safety and public health consequences
(10). Cocoa powder has a reduced water activity
that may not constitute suitable substrate for the
growth of microbes, but if not handled in hygienic
form before consumption can result in the production
of pathogenic organisms or production of toxic
metabolites that can cause serious health problems
(10).
Moulds are frequently found in cocoa beans and
it is not uncommon to nd mycotoxin-producing
moulds and occasionally low levels of mycotoxins
in cocoa (11). Beside Aspergillus being among
the fungus genera, it has also been implicated in
mycotoxicosis because it produces toxic metabolite
called mycotoxins in food. Some of the species of
this genus that have been severally reported in
mycotoxicosis includes Aspergillus avus, which
produces aatoxin that causes cancer of the liver,
Aspergillus ochraceous and Aspergillus niger which
produce ochratoxin that is nephrotoxic (4).
In view of this, there is need to determine the
mycological safety of the cocoa based beverages
we consume as health drink so as to stem down the
occurrences of mycotoxin associated diseases in our
community. Also, regardless of the wide consumption
of these group of food by Nigerians, little or no data
are available as regards mycotoxin levels in the
commodities; the need for this study.
In this research, we screened some sachet cocoa
beverages retailed in Benin metropolis, Edo State,
Nigeria for aatoxin B1 levels and fungal load with
the aim of providing preliminary useful data on the
aatoxin status of these foods consumed in many
homes and to enlighten the manufacturers and
consumers on the need for proper food processing,
handling and storage.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Collection of samples
Seventy-nine (79) samples of different brands of the
beverages (Zamis, Domo, Milo, Cowbell, Richoco,
Ovaltine, Bournvita, Spectra, Benco and Peak
chocolate) were obtained from four different markets
(Uselu Market, New-Benin Market, Oba Market and
Zoro supermarkets) in Benin City (Nigeria). The
samples were obtained at two-week intervals for
24 weeks to obtain a good representation. Samples
were analysed mycologically within 24 h of collection.