Contamination of common spices in Saudi Arabia markets with potential mycotoxin-producing fungi

Abstract

Fifteen spices obtained from common markets were examined for their mould profile. A total of 520 fungal isolates, representing 57 species, were recovered and identified from dried and ground spice samples on three different media using standard dilution plate method. The most heavily contaminated spice samples examined were observed in ginger in order of magnitude of 5325-6800 cfu/g. The most predominant fungal genera encountered were Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Rhizopus. Relative occurrence values of taxa disclosed ranged between 80% for Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger and Penicillium arenicola, and 10% for some species. Samples obtained from sumac encountered very rare colony counts indicating its antifungal prosperities. The present magnitude of contamination and spectra of mycobiota approximate those reported for similar spice samples. Several potentially mycotoxigenic fungi were isolated from the majority of samples. The present study attracts the attention to potential risk for mycotoxins contamination may be caused as a result of using these spices, especially in great quantities. The study strongly recommends reduction in application of heavily contaminated spices like ginger in food processing and using some others like clove and sumac due to their antimicrobial properties.

Bacterial and Fungal Counts of Dried and Semi-Dried Foods Collected from Dhaka, Bangladesh, and Their Reduction Methods

“…Furthermore, spices are exposed to various amounts of environmental contaminants during processing, such as wastewater, dirt and dust, and human and animal excreta Banarjee and Sarkar, 2003 . Contamination may occur as a result of mishandling during storage, distribution and processing. These factors contribute to microbial contamination, regardless of the minimal presence of contaminants in cooked foods Hashem and Alamri, 2010 . Further complications may arise due to the consumption of foods which undergo no processing after the addition of spices and herbs Banarjee and Sarkar, 2003 .…”

“…The high bioburden of processed foods also contribute to an increased rate of putrefaction of food products, negatively affecting quality and leading to the production of mycotoxins Juri et al, 1986 . Consuming contaminated foods may contribute towards developing liver carcinoma or other serious diseases Hashem and Alamri, 2010 . Various studies have established the presence of microorganisms a nd fungi in spices Banarjee and Sarkar., 2003;Elshafie et al, 2002;Hashem and Alamri, 2010;Zweifel and Stephan, 2012 . As the negative effects are numerous and continue to grow, the need for developing methods for minimizing or eradicating pathogens also grows.…”

“…Consuming contaminated foods may contribute towards developing liver carcinoma or other serious diseases Hashem and Alamri, 2010 . Various studies have established the presence of microorganisms a nd fungi in spices Banarjee and Sarkar., 2003;Elshafie et al, 2002;Hashem and Alamri, 2010;Zweifel and Stephan, 2012 . As the negative effects are numerous and continue to grow, the need for developing methods for minimizing or eradicating pathogens also grows. Studies by Juri et al 1986 have used gamma irradiation as a possible means of decontamination, and as mentioned in the same paper, others have attempted the use of fumigation with ethylene oxide.…”

“…As they usually originate from dried plant material, the presence of microorganisms or fungi in spices is not unlikely KovicTanackov et al, 2007 . Commensal organisms, which are originally found in plants, may survive the drying process and contribute towards the rise of food-borne illnesses Hashem and Alamri, 2010 . The warm and humid conditions in which they are grown favor the tion as an alternative method in medical instrument sterilization, and in recent times its application has spread to agriculture Nishioka et al, 2014 .…”

Fungal contamination in dried spices sold in the market of the Porto of Cuiabá-MT

“…Além disso, o processo de secagem ocorre em ambientes abertos ou empilhadas umas sobre as outras em embalagens inapropriadas. Neste contexto, os condimentos podem ser importantes portadores de contaminação microbiana, consequentemente os alimentos que os contêm são mais propensos à deterioração, o que ode também exercer efeitos nocivos à saúde humana (CUNHA NETO; SILVA; MACHADO, 2013;HASHEM;ALAMRI, 2010).…”