This work aimed at assessing the presence of total aflatoxins (AFs) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in fish farmed in two Cameroonian localities and the possible origin of that contamination through analysis of fish feeds as well as water and mud collected from the fish farming ponds. Four fish species (kanga, tilapia, catfish, and carp) were collected from two fish farming sites (Mfou and Batié). Mud and water from the farming ponds of the different species and the fish feeds used in these sites were also collected. The samples (34) were analyzed for their levels of AFs and AFB1 using the competitive ELISA method. The results obtained showed that all fish tissue contained AFs and AFB1. A level of AFs higher than the threshold value recommended by the FDA (20 ppb) was observed in catfish (31.38±0.29 ppb). AFs and AFB1 were presented in fish feeds as well as in muds collected from the farming ponds. Catfish was the fish species which mostly bioaccumulated aflatoxins in their tissue. This study presents the state of art on the mycotoxin contamination of fish farmed in some Cameroonian localities and suggests that attention should be paid to the quality of ingredients used to feed fish.
Aim: The present study was undertaken to assess the probiotic potential of lactic acid bacteria strains isolated from raphia palm wine (Raffia mambillensis O.) of the South West region of Cameroon.
Study Design: The study site and sample were randomly chosen and the responses assessed were submitted to analyses of variance.
Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out in Ekona in the South West region of Cameroon, between February 2017 and October 2018.
Methodology: Physicochemical analyses were performed to characterize the Raphia palm wine samples. Lactic acid bacteria were isolated from these samples using pour plate method, and the isolates were tested for their antimicrobial activity, low pH and bile salts tolerance, antibiotic sensitivity, hemolytic activity and enzymes production. The active isolates were identified phenotypically using API 50 CHL.
Results: The results revealed that among the nine isolates, only three were active against Escherichia coli BL21, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Salmonella enterica and Staphylococcus aureus with inhibition diameters ranging from 10 to 25 mm. The three isolates which exhibited antimicrobial activity were able to survive at simulated stomach pH (pH 3.0) with survival rate above 80% and in the presence of bile salts at 1% with survival rates above 50%. All three isolates gave negative results for hemolytic activity and were resistant to most antibiotic treatments. These three isolates produced β-galactosidase, which is beneficial for lactose intolerance. They also produced some non-carcinogenic enzymes including leucine arylamidase, crystine arylamidase, acid phosphatase, α-galactosidase, α-glucosidase, β-glucosidase, and N-acetyl-β-glucosamidase. Identification of these three isolates with API kit 50 CHL reveals that they are Lactobacillus lactis, Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus brevis.
Conclusion: Our findings revealed that raphia palm wine can be an excellent source of probiotic lactic acid bacteria.
This study was focused on the collecting and recycling systems of bottles reused for traditional food packaging in the city of Yaoundé and the presence of biofilms in these bottles. A cross-sectional study approved by the Institutional Review Board was conducted in 43 quarters randomly selected in Yaoundé using a semi-structured questionnaire. The target population was producers and street sellers of traditional foods who used recovered bottles for food packaging and had freely signed the informed consent clearance. Then, the recovered bottles cleaned by the participants and ready to be reused as traditional food packaging were sampled and screened for the presence of biofilms. The results showed that 84% of the 162 participants were women. Bottles reused for traditional food packaging were mainly collected from garbage (70.4%). A total of six different cleaning processes were identified from manufacturers of traditional food products. The cleaning processes were significantly (p < 0.05) dependent on the education level and varied from one manufacturer to another. Amongst the identified cleaning processes, those which included soaking and disinfection unit operations were more efficient in biofilms’ removal. Bottles cleaned according to these processes scored the lowest biofilms’ contents. Independently of the cleaning processes, biofilms were detected in all recovered bottles. This might suggest a potential health risk for consumers.
An investigation was performed to evaluate the braising fish practices and the level of hygiene of the sellers in the city of Yaoundé. Thereafter, five braised carp samples were collected from each of the five selected sites and their microbiological quality assessed. The results showed that all the braising sites do not satisfy the Good Hygiene and Manufacturing Practices. Pathogenic microorganisms such as coliforms (2.17 ± 0.08 to 5.94 ± 0.38 Log cfu/g),
E. coli
(3.71 ± 0.20 to 6.21 ± 0.48 Log cfu/g) and
Salmonella
spp. were found in braised carp samples at levels higher than the microbiological criteria of the European Commission which are 1, 1 and 0 Log cfu/g, respectively. Spoilage microorganisms such as yeasts (2.39 ± 0.18 to 3.09 ± 0.23 Log cfu/g) and moulds (2.30 ± 0.10 to 2.92 ± 0.18 Log cfu/g) as well as spore-forming (3.02 ± 0.18 to 4.86 ± 0.35 Log cfu/g) and anaerobic (3.74 ± 0.28 to 4.52 ± 0.38 Log cfu/g) bacteria were also found at higher levels. The study highlights the poor microbiological quality of braised fish sold in the city of Yaoundé.
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