Contamination of Cereals (Sorghum Bicolor L. Moench and Pennisetum Glaucum (L.) R. Br.) During Storage: Farmer’s Perception and Management of Mold’ Contamination Risks

Abstract

This study aimed to report the traditional technics used in Benin to store sorghum and millet grains and assess the knowledge level of the farmers and sellers on the problematic of mold contamination during the grain storage. Entire sorghum and millet production areas were carried out. Face-to-face interview of 1,040 farmers and sellers of both cereals were conducted. The data were collected according to an adapted set of questions European Scientific Journal September 2017 edition Vol.13, No.27 ISSN: 1857 -7881 (Print) e -ISSN 1857 172 based on direct observation, group discussions, individual interviews and garret visits containing sorghum and millet. The results were analyzed using SAS software. The survey results provided by this approach showed that 93.24% of farmers were men and 100 % of sellers were women. 68.92% of farmers had over 50 years old while 64.29% of sellers had less than 35 years. Their education level was relatively low and marked by 70% of unlettered. Several storage technics are used. The most widely used is solar drying, but it has the lowest shelf life compared to the second widely used to apply the chemical pesticides to cereals product. According to them, this technic allows a long shelf life for the cereals. The most of interviewed farmers and sellers (69%) use moldy grains in animal feed while 11% used it in human consumption. 13 % of both cereals were destroyed and 7 % of them ignore that mold can have caused the sanitary risks. In view of the socio-economic importance of the cereals and their role in the nutritional needs of people it become necessary to trained the farmer and sellers in other drying and storage technics in order to prevent food-borne diseases

Occurrence of Molds and Identification of Mycoflora Contaminating Millet and Sorghum Produced and Consumed in Benin

“…This condition could explain the high contamination rates obtained in samples from markets. Also, the work of Tovide et al (2017) showed that cereal producers do not hesitate to use cotton inputs to process their grain in storage, thus reducing the risk of contamination but creating a hazard to consumers' health. In all cases, the fungal loads obtained in the milk and sorghum samples are above the recommended standards.…”

Substitution of non-biodegradable plastic food packagings by ecological food packagings at Abomey-Calavi University (Benin): State of place and microbiological quality of packagings

“…Mycotoxins are among the most mutagens and carcinogens substances known. The prolonged exposure through food consumption has been linked to cancers and several diseases of the kidneys, liver and immune system (Tovide et al, 2017). It should also be noted the absence of aerobic sulfitereducing bacteria in all investigated packagings.…”

Diversity and microbiological quality of fruit juices produced in southern Benin

“…These toxigenic compounds pose a real public health problem because of their responsibility in the occurrence of acute and chronic toxicity phenomena. Their prolonged exposure through food has been associated with cancers and diseases of the kidneys, liver and immune system (Tovide et al, 2017). Unfortunately, there is no single solution in the fight against mycotoxins.…”