Assessment of aflatoxigenicAspergillusand other fungi in millet and sesame from Plateau State, Nigeria.
Sixteen fonio millet and 17 sesame samples were analysed for incidence of moulds, especially aflatoxigenicAspergillusspecies, in order to determine the safety of both crops to consumers, and to correlate aflatoxin levels in the crops with levels produced by toxigenic isolates on laboratory medium. Diverse moulds includingAlternaria, Aspergillus, Cercospora, Fusarium, Mucor, Penicillium, RhizopusandTrichodermawere isolated.Aspergilluswas predominantly present in both crops (46-48%), and amongst the potentially aflatoxigenicAspergillusspecies,A. flavusrecorded the highest incidence (68% in fonio millet; 86% in sesame kernels). AllA. parvisclerotigenusisolates produced B and G aflatoxins in culture while B aflatoxins were produced by only 39% and 20% ofA. flavusstrains isolated from the fonio millet and sesame kernels, respectively. Aflatoxin concentrations in fonio millet correlated inversely (r= -0.55;p= 0.02) with aflatoxin levels produced by toxigenic isolates on laboratory medium, but no correlation was observed in the case of the sesame samples. Both crops, especially sesame, may not be suitable substrates for aflatoxin biosynthesis. This is the first report onA. parvisclerotigenusin sesame.
Mycology/Mycotoxicology Research Unit, Department of Biosciences and Biotechnology, Babcock University, Ilishan Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria.
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Ezekiel
Department of Basic Sciences, Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Jos, Nigeria.
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Udom
Department of Systems Biology, Center for Microbial Biotechnology, Building 221, Technical University of Denmark DK-2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
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Frisvad
Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria.
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Adetunji
CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Uppsalalaan 8, NL-3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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Houbraken
Mycology/Mycotoxicology Research Unit, Department of Biosciences and Biotechnology, Babcock University, Ilishan Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria.
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Fapohunda
CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Uppsalalaan 8, NL-3584 CT Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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Samson
Department of Biological Sciences, McPherson University, Km 96, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Seriki-Sotayo, Near Ajebo Camp, Ogun State, Nigeria.
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Atanda
Mycology/Mycotoxicology Research Unit, Department of Biosciences and Biotechnology, Babcock University, Ilishan Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria.
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Agi-Otto
Mycology/Mycotoxicology Research Unit, Department of Biosciences and Biotechnology, Babcock University, Ilishan Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria.
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Onashile
Aspergillus; acha; aflatoxin; fonio millet; food safety; fungi; sesame