Olorunfemi Momodu F
Rhodes University, South Africa
Title: Detection of Aspergillus Section Flavi and aflatoxins in locally formulated fish feeds from South-Western Nigeria
Biography
Biography: Olorunfemi Momodu F
Abstract
Aspergillus section flavi (ASF) is a group of molds associated with aflatoxin production. They are responsible for aflatoxicoses in humans and animals through the feed-animal-food-human chain. Aflatoxins are potent carcinogenic secondary metabolites produced by the Aspergillus spp. Their presence in fish feeds reduce feed quality and feeding inefficiencies leading to low productivity, poor growth and untimely deaths. Detection of ASF and aflatoxins were carried out on 94 randomly collected fish feed samples from different fish farms in South-Western Nigeria. ASF were detected in all samples with 1873 ASF isolated. Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus parasiticus, unnamed taxon and Aspergillus tamari isolated was 1806 (96.40%), 12 (0.64%), 3 (0.16%) and 52 (2.78%) respectively. Aflatoxin B1 was detected in 92% of samples followed by aflatoxin G1 (85%), aflatoxin B2 (81%), aflatoxin M1 (75%) and aflatoxin G2 (36%). Highest aflatoxin concentration was 550.8 µg/kg for aflatoxin B1 while highest total aflatoxin concentration recorded was 826.9761 µg/kg. Percentage of samples having total aflatoxin concentration higher than the Maximum Allowable Limit (MAL) in animal feeds as recommended by USFDA (20 µg/kg) was 79.79%. Considering the high incidence of ASF and aflatoxin contamination of sampled fish feeds, the fish industries in South-western Nigeria may be at risk of economic losses due to aflatoxicoses in the fish species.