Abstract:
Mycotoxigenic fungi and their associated mycotoxins pose a significant and persistent threat to agricultural producers, consumers, and food regulatory bodies. These microorganisms deteriorate the quality of agricultural products and profoundly compromise food safety. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of Penicillium fungi, along with two specific mycotoxins, in maize and sorghum samples collected from Niger. A total of sixty-four composite samples, representing diverse varieties of maize and sorghum, were acquired from markets and storage facilities within four distinct microclimatic zones in Niger state. Standard isolation techniques were employed to identify Penicillium spp., while quantification of Ochratoxin A (OTA) and Cyclopiazonic Acid (CPA) was accomplished using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), respectively. The study also encompassed a risk assessment associated with consumption of the contaminated samples. The isolated fungal species included P. verrucosum, P. griseofulvum, and P. chrysogenum. The prevalence of Penicillium spp. was highest in market maize samples (15.8%) from the wet zone and in stored samples from the dry zone. Conversely, sorghum exhibited the highest prevalence (16.7%) in samples from the driest zone. OTA was detected in 89.1% of both maize and sorghum samples, ranging between 1.799 and 75.462 μg/Kg, and 0.297 to 49.344 μg/Kg, respectively. Similarly, CPA was detected in 45.3% of both maize and sorghum samples, with concentrations of 1.002 to 419.248 μg/Kg and 0.205 to 79.981 μg/Kg, respectively. Notably, the highest OTA contamination was observed in yellow maize collected from Magama market (75.462 μg/Kg), whereas the lowest was found in white sorghum from Suleja store (0.297 μg/Kg). Co-occurrence of OTA and CPA was prominent in Magama store (75.0%) and lower in Bosso market (25.0%). The Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) ranged from 0.021 to 0.111 μg/Kg for males and 0.020 to 0.423 μg/Kg for females, while the Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) for OTA was established at 0.014 μg/Kg. Evidently, consumers of maize and sorghum in these study areas face health risks due to OTA and CPA contamination. Consequently, this study strongly recommends thorough cooking practices to mitigate the health hazards posed by these contaminants.
DISTRIBUTION OF OCHRATOXIN A AND CYCLOPIAZONIC ACID IN MAIZE AND SORGHUM CULTIVATED WITHIN THE MICROCLIMATIC ZONES OF NIGER STATE,  GET MORE, ACTUARIAL SCIENCE PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS
