Mycotoxin Contamination Analysis of Improved Varieties of Maize (Zea mays L.) and Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

Abstract

Food-borne mycotoxins constitute a major concern to public health in many developing countries. Their consumption is associated with gastrointestinal illnesses. This study aimed to determine the level of mycotoxin contamination in improved varieties of Maize and groundnut. The growth of fungal species was determined using the spread-plate method after dilution. The yeast and mould count of the maize samples showed varying levels of fungal contamination across the different samples, ranging from 0.014×10⁴ CFU/g in Samma 17 to 0.080×10⁴ CFU/g in Samma 53, whereas the yeast and mould counts of the groundnut samples (G1–G26) ranged from 0.020×10⁴ CFU/g (G3) to 0.081×10⁴ CFU/g (G26). Aflatoxigenic fungi in improved groundnut (Arachis hypogea) reveal a distinct contamination profile dominated by Aspergillus parasiticus, which constitutes 56% of the isolated fungi, followed by Aspergillus flavus at 44%, whereas aflatoxigenic fungi in improved maize reveal a contamination profile dominated by Aspergillus flavus, which constitutes 63% of the isolated fungi, followed by Aspergillus paraticus at 31% and Aspergillus fumigatus at 6%. The results obtained indicate that the level of mycotoxin contamination is within the permissible limit by the regulatory agencies across the studied improved varieties of maize and groundnut. This is an indication that the improved varieties may have more resistance to contamination by mycotoxins.