Isolation and Identification of Fungi Associated with Spoilage of Tomato Samples Obtained from Kubwa, Iddo and Adelabu Markets in Abuja, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.67601/njbls.v3i2b.66Keywords:
Lycopersicon esculentum, Tomatoes, Fungi, Spoilage, Aspergillus speciesAbstract
Food spoilage is an alteration in the sensory qualities of food caused primarily by biological, chemical, and physical factors, resulting in the food becoming unsuitable and unsafe for human consumption. This research was carried out to isolate and identify the fungi associated with tomatoes samples obtained from Kubwa, Iddo and Adelabu markets. Tomato samples were collected from specific market locations in Kubwa, Iddo and Adelabu markets. Potato dextrose agar was prepared in accordance with the instructions provided by the manufacturer. Spread plate technique was adopted for the culture and isolation of the isolates. The plates were then placed at room temperature and allowed to incubate for a period of 72 hours. The result obtained showed a fungal count range between 1.7 x 105 cfu/ml to 2.5 x 105 cfu/ml, while the fungal species isolated were Aspergillus niger, Geotrichum candidum, Aspergillus flavus, and Penicillium chrysogenum. Aspergillus niger had the highest percentage occurrence of 44.4% while the lowest percentage occurrence was observed in Geotrichum candidum (11.1 %.) The result of the pathogenicity test revealed that the fungi inoculated into the healthy tomato, Aspergillus niger had the highest decay diameter of 40 mm while Penicillium chrysogenum had the lowest which was 12 mm. Tomatoes are usually transported using locally woven baskets and sack under conditions that favour the growth of these organisms therefore, good quality control measures and proper storage methods should be adopted by farmers, marketers and consumers during the harvesting, transportation, handling distribution and processing tomatoes.
References
Adams, S. R., Cockshull, K. E., & Cave, C. R. J. (2001). Effect of temperature on the growth and development of tomato fruits. Annals of Botany, 88(5), 869–877. https://doi.org/10.1006/anbo.2001.1524
Ali, M. Y., Sina, A. A. I., Khandker, S. S., Neesa, L., Tanvir, E. M., Kabir, A., Khalil, M. I., & Gan, S. H. (2021). Nutritional composition and bioactive compounds in tomatoes and their impact on human health and disease: A review. Foods, 10(1), 45. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10010045
Amaike, S., & Keller, N. P. (2011). Aspergillus flavus. Annual Review of Phytopathology, 49, 107–133. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-phyto-072910-095221.
Baiyewu, R. A., Amusa, N. A., Ayoola, O. A., & Babalola, O. O. (2007). Survey of the post-harvest diseases and aflatoxin contamination of marketed pawpaw fruit (Carica papaya L.) in south western Nigeria. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 2(4), 178–181.
Baker, S. E. (2006). Aspergillus niger genomics: Past, present and into the future. Medical Mycology, 44(Suppl. 1), S17–S21. https://doi.org/10.1080/13693780600921037
Beecher, G. R. (1998). Nutrient content of tomatoes and tomato products. Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine, 218(2), 98–100. https://doi.org/10.3181/00379727-218-44282a
Cappuccino, J. G., & Welsh, C. T. (2017). Microbiology: A laboratory manual (11th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson
Erondu, C. J., & Solomon, J. R. (2017). Identification of planktons (zooplankton and phytoplankton) behind Girls' Hostel, University of Abuja, Nigeria. Direct Research Journal of Public Health and Environmental Technology, 2(3), 21–29.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, International Fund for Agricultural Development, United Nations Children's Fund, World Food Programme, & World Health Organization. (2019). The state of food security and nutrition in the world 2019: Safeguarding against economic slowdowns and downturns. Rome, Italy: FAO.
Klich, M. A. (2007). Aspergillus flavus: The major producer of aflatoxin. Molecular Plant Pathology, 8(6), 713–722. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1364-3703.2007.00436.x
Kumar, A., Pathak, H., Bhadauria, S., & Sudan, J. (2021). Aflatoxin contamination in food crops: Causes, detection, and management: A review. Food Production, Processing and Nutrition, 3, 17. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43014-021-00064-y
Lawal, O. J., Ayodele, A. E., & Chukwuka, K. S. (2007). Morphological studies in Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. lines in Southwestern Nigeria. Journal of Biological Sciences, 7, 737–744. doi:10.3923/jbs.2007.737.744.
Liu, Y., Galani Yamdeu, J. H., Gong, Y. Y., & Orfila, C. (2020). A review of postharvest approaches to reduce fungal and mycotoxin contamination of foods. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 19(4), 1521–1560. https://doi.org/10.1111/1541-4337.12562
Muhammad, S., Shehu, K., & Amusa, N. A. (2004). Survey of the market diseases and aflatoxin contamination of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) fruits in Sokoto, north-western Nigeria. Nutrition and Food Science, 34, 72–76. https://doi.org/10.1108/00346650410529032
Naika, S., van Lidt de Jeude, J., de Goffau, M., Hilmi, M., & van Dam, B. (2005). Cultivation of tomato: Production, processing and marketing (4th completely revised ed.). Wageningen, The Netherlands: Agromisa Foundation and CTA. ISBN 92-9081-299-0.
Onuorah, S., & Orji, M. U. (2015). Fungi associated with the spoilage of post-harvest tomato fruits sold in major markets in Awka, Nigeria. Universal Journal of Microbiology Research, 3(2), 11–16. https://doi.org/10.13189/ujmr.2015.030201
Oyeleke, A., & Manga, S. B. (2008). Essential of laboratory practice (3rd ed.). Minna, Nigeria: Tobest Publisher.
Snyder, A. B., Martin, N., & Wiedmann, M. (2024). Microbial food spoilage: Impact, causative agents and control strategies. Nature Reviews Microbiology, 22(9), 528–542. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-024-01037-x
