Mycotoxigenic Fungi and Mycotoxin Contamination of Traditionally Fermented Milk (Mursik) in Soliat Location Kericho County, Kenya.

Abstract

Mursik is traditional fermented milk. Fungi are among the major contaminants of milk including mycotoxigenic fungi. Mycotoxigenic fungi may grow in mursik and produce mycotoxins that can cause poisoning to consumers. This study aimed to enumerate fungal species contaminants including fungi responsible for mycotoxin production and quantification of the mycotoxins. Microbiological analysis was done on 194 samples from Soliat Location and 4 samples from commercial outlets where fungal enumeration was carried out on Potato Dextrose Agar. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was used to detect moulds and mycotoxins extracted using Envirologix procedure and quantified using quicktox kit. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 17 for descriptive statistics. Yeast species isolated from mursik samples were: Geotricum candidum 124 (32.56%) as the predominant strain, Rhodotorula species 19 (4.99%), Sacharomyces cerevisiae 13(3.41%), Candida parapsilosis 41 (10.76%), Candida albicans 22 (5.77%), Candida tropicalis 67 (17.59%), Candida glabrata 53 (13.91%) and Candida krusei 21 (5.51%) andmoulds were of Aspergillus, Penicillium and Fusarium genus. Aflatoxin was detected in 196/198 (99.0%) of the samples where levels ranged between 2-12 parts per billion exceeding the required levels of 0.05ppb. Fumonisin toxin was detected in only 3 (1.5%) of the samples mean of 0.008ppb and Deoxynivalenol toxin was detected in 1 (0.5%) sample with the level of 0.001. Both fumonisin and Deoxynivalenol levels were below the standard levels. Eighty percent of the mursik producers milk their cows in the open and store their milk and their milk fermenting calabashes at a maize store and/or in the living rooms which are risk factors for contamination of mursik with mycotoxigenic fungi and other microorganisms. Microorganisms isolated are responsiple for mycoses and mycotoxins cause mycotoxicoses. These results will help the authorities to develop measures to tame the contamination of milk and milk products.