Primary Screening for Fungi Isolates that Produce Mycotoxin from Sun-Dried Meat

This study aims to screen fungal isolates from sun dried meat samples to identify fungal presumed producing mycotoxins in the sun dried meat. A total of 8 fungal isolates from sun dried meat were used for the study. They are Aspergillus (2), Penicillium spp (3), Fusarium spp, Mucor spp and Rhizopus spp. The fungal isolates from eight sun dried-meat samples were sub-cultured on Potato Dextrose Agar and Sabouraud Dextrose agar in order to obtain pure colonies for further analysis. The detection of mycotoxins in the sun dry meat samples was carried out by the use of Coconut Agar Media (CAM), by which the fungal isolates were cultured and plates incubated for 3-7days at 28C. The results obtained show that some of the fungal isolates had the ability to produce mycotoxins. From the mycotoxin screening, only four (4) species (Aspergillus spps, and Penicillium spp) were positive (+) and Rhizopus spp, Fusarium spp and Mucor spp, were negative (-). Mycotoxin contamination level varied in different market locations in which Academy Market had the highest level of mycotoxin (71.4%) followed by Oje Market (14.3%) and Oremiji Market (14.3%). Mycotoxigenic producing fungi and mycotoxin levels in the sun dried meat samples are public health concern. Also these results calls for more sensitization for safety of sun dried meat.