Fungi and mycotoxins in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L) on Nigerian markets |
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| Authors: | Clement G Afolabi Chibundu N Ezekiel Abimbola E Ogunbiyi Olufemi J Oluwadairo Michael Sulyok Rudolf Krska |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Crop Protection, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeriaafolabicg@funaab.edu.ng;3. Department of Microbiology, Babcock University, Ilishan Remo, Nigeria;4. Institute of Bioanalytics and Agro–Metabolomics, Department of Agrobiotechnology (IFA–Tulln), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), Tulln, Austria https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2113-2948;5. Department of Crop Protection, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria;6. Institute of Bioanalytics and Agro–Metabolomics, Department of Agrobiotechnology (IFA–Tulln), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), Tulln, Austria;7. Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK |
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| Abstract: | ABSTRACTIn this study, 81 samples of two cowpea varieties (brown: 54; white: 27) collected from various markets in southwestern Nigeria were examined for fungal and mycotoxin contamination. Moulds belonging to Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Penicillium were recovered from 99% of the samples. In both cowpea varieties, Aspergillus (52–53%) dominated Fusarium (29–30%) and Penicillium (17–20%). The interactive effect of cowpea variety and sampled location was significant (p = .013) on the occurrence of Fusarium species. Aflatoxins were detected in one brown and two white cowpea samples at concentrations reaching 209 and 84 µg/kg, respectively. Additionally, beauvericin was found in two samples of each cowpea variety, albeit at low concentrations. Cowpea presents as an alternative vegetable protein source to groundnuts in household nutrition with respect to mycotoxin contamination. Simple techniques to prevent mycotoxins in dry cowpeas are discussed. |
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| Keywords: | Cowpea food safety fungi legume mycotoxins Vigna unguiculate |
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https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2113-2948;5. Department of Crop Protection, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria;6. Institute of Bioanalytics and Agro–Metabolomics, Department of Agrobiotechnology (IFA–Tulln), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), Tulln, Austria;7. Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK