Microbial Contamination and Occurrence of Aflatoxins in Processed Baobab Products in Kenya

Abstract

Baobab fruit demand has been on the rise in the recent past, and in an attempt to match the demand, farmers and middlemen are forced to harvest immature fruits which are not fully dried. To ensure an acceptable moisture content, baobab fruits are subjected to solar drying, which is a slow process and often carried out in open and unhygienic conditions raising safety concerns. This study was conducted to investigate the microbial and aflatoxin contamination levels in ready-to-eat baobab products from selected formal and informal processors in specific counties of Kenya. Selected processed baobab products were sampled randomly from formal and informal processors and analyzed for the total aerobic count, Enterobacteriaceae, yeast and molds, ergosterol, aflatoxins, moisture, and water activity. The moisture and water activity of baobab pulp and candies from formal processors ranged between 7.73% and 15.06% and 0.532 and 0.740 compared to those from informal processors which ranged from 10.50% to 23.47% and 0.532 to 0.751, respectively. In this study, baobab pulp from formal processors had significantly ( p = 0.0008 , 0.0006) lower Enterobacteriaceae and yeast and molds loads ( 0.7 ± 0.29 and 3.1 ± 0.38 log 10 CFU/g, respectively) than pulp from informal processors ( 3.1 ± 0.70 and 5.3 ± 0.11 log 10 CFU/g, respectively). Similarly, the Enterobacteriaceae counts of candies from formal processors (nondetectable) were considerably lower ( p = 0.015 ) than those from informal processors ( 1.8 ± 0.56 log 10 CFU/g). The ergosterol content in these baobab product samples ranged between 0.46 and 1.92 mg/100 g while the aflatoxin content ranged between 3.93 and 11.09 × 103 μ g / kg , respectively. Fungal and aflatoxin contamination was detected in 25% and 5% of pulp from formal and informal processors, respectively, and in 5% of candies from informal processors. Microbial contamination in processed baobab products shows an unhygienic processing environment while the fungal and aflatoxin contamination may indicate poor postharvest handling, transport, and storage conditions of baobab fruits along the baobab value chain.

Comparative Study of the Physicochemical and Microbiological Quality of Liquid, Freeze-Dried, Hot Air-Dried, and Pasteurized Quail Eggs Produced in Benin

“…This quality predicts that freeze-dried and hot air-dried quail eggs will have a long shelf life as opposed to pasteurized and liquid quail eggs with a short shelf life. In a study of the quality of solar-dried baobab fruits in Kenya, James et al [ 15 ] found that the water activity of baobab pulp from formal processors ranged from 0.53 to 0.74 while that from informal processors ranged from 0.53 to 0.75.…”

“…Interestingly, the dry matter values of these egg products comply with the EECUN [ 9 ] standard which requires a minimum dry matter of 22% for liquid eggs and 95% for dried eggs. James et al [ 15 ] showed that the dry matter contents of dried baobab pulp from formal processors ranged from 92.27% to 84.94% compared to 89.50% to 76.53% for informal processors.…”

“…The activities of microorganisms in an egg product depend on the nature of the egg product, its initial level of contamination, and especially the temperature [ 22 , 23 ]. James et al [ 15 ] found that baobab pulp from formal processors had significantly lower loads of Enterobacteriaceae , yeasts, and molds than pulp from informal processors. In respect of the various standards, quail egg products can then be used for any purpose without the risk of food contamination.…”

“…Interestingly, the dry matter values of these egg products comply with the EECUN [9] standard which requires a minimum dry matter of 22% for liquid eggs and 95% for dried eggs. James et al [15] showed that the dry matter contents of dried baobab pulp from formal processors ranged from 92.27% 84.94% compared to 89.50% to 76.53% for informal processors. From the data in Figure 5, freeze-dried (36:6 ± 1:13%) and hot air-dried (36:7 ± 1:46%) quail eggs were more concentrated in fat, while pasteurized (25:8 ± 1:33%) and liquid (7:4 ± 0:76%) quail eggs were less concentrated in fat.…”

Occurrence, identification, and decontamination of potential mycotoxins in fruits and fruit by‐products

“…In a recent study, AF contamination due to A. parasiticus and A. flavus L. was identified in the baobab fruit in Kenya. The toxin concentration was due to poor postharvesting practices (James et al., 2022). Certainly, dry fruits like dates, pistachios, and walnuts are more prone to AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, and AFG2 contamination at all stages, from harvest to marketing.…”