FUNGAL CONTAMINATION OF DRIED TOMATO CHIPS SOLD IN MAKURDI MARKETS, NIGERIA
Keywords:
Fungal, contamination, dried tomato, chips, marketAbstract
Dried tomato chips are quite popular in Nigeria for their culinary uses but their vulnerability to fungal contamination represents a mycotoxicological food risk. The study isolated and identified the fungi associated with the contamination of dried tomato chips sold in Makurdi markets in Nigeria. A total of sixty (60) dried tomato chips were gotten from Wurukum, Wadata and Modern market from which the fungi colonies were isolated and characterized using standard cultural, morphological and microscopic procedures. Out of the 60 samples analysed, fifty five (55) yielded positive fungi growth across five distinct species, while five (5) samples showed no detectable fungi growth. The fungi isolated were; Rhizopus stolonifer, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus ochraceus and Trichosporon mucoides. Rhizopus stolonifer was observed as the most occurring fungus with the occurrence of 22 representing 40 % of the total fungi occurrence, this was followed by Aspergillus niger 15(27.27%), Aspergillus flavus 8(14.56 %), Aspergillus ochraceus 6(10.91 %) and Trichosporon mucoides 4(7.27 %) which was the least occurring fungus. A highly significant occurrence was observed in relation to the fungal isolates (χ2 = 36.200; df = 4; p = 0.000). The samples from wadata market were observed to have slightly higher fungal load than the other locations; no significant difference was however observed (p > 0.05). It is highly recommended that tomato processors and vendors should adopt elevated solar drying, storing of chips in hermetic moisture-proof containers to replace open-air market displays.
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