TY  - JOUR
N2  - A survey was conducted in Nairobi, Nyanza and Western provinces in Kenya between March and July
2009 with 1263 peanut products sampled out of which 705 samples underwent microbial analysis. The
study aimed at determining the incidence of fungal species e emphasis on Aspergillus section Flavi e
associated with peanut products. A 0.5 kg representative sample was obtained from each surveyed
vendor and the colony forming units (CFU) of fungal species determined. The samples were also analyzed
for total a?atoxin level while isolates of Aspergillus ?avus and Aspergillus parasiticus were screened for
production of a?atoxin B1, B2, G1 and G2. Eight fungal species were detected in the samples and were in
decreasing order of CFU/g of sample: A. ?avus S-strain (467), A. ?avus L-strain (341), Penicillium spp.
(326), Aspergillus niger (156), Aspergillus tamari (27), Aspergillus alliaceus (21), A. parasiticus (10), and
Aspergillus caelatus (5). The overall incidence of A. ?avus S-strain in samples from Nairobi was 92 and
1425% higher than samples from Nyanza and Western regions, respectively. The combined incidence of
A. ?avus and A. parasiticus was varied signi?cantly (p ? 0.05) with peanut product: peanut ?our (69%),
shelled raw peanuts (53%), spoilt peanuts (49%), boiled podded peanuts (45%), podded peanuts (39%),
peanut butter (31%), fried peanuts (22%) and roasted peanuts (20%). Seventy three percent of A. ?avus
and A. parasiticus isolates produced at least one of the a?atoxin types, with 66% producing a?atoxin B1.
The total a?atoxin level among peanut products ranged from 0 to 1629 mg/g; and there was a positive
correlation (r ¼ 0.2711) between the incidence of A. ?avus and A. parasiticus, and total a?atoxin level. The
high incidence of a?atoxin producing fungi in peanuts traded in Kenyan markets implies a risk of a?atoxin contamination, highlighting the need for stakeholders to promote sound practices at all stages of
the peanut value chain in order to minimize market access by non-complying products.
AV  - restricted
KW  - A?atoxin
KW  -  Aspergillus section Flavi
KW  -  Fungal species
KW  -  Peanuts
A1  - Wagacha, J M
A1  - Mutegi, C
A1  - Karanja, L
A1  - Kimani, J
A1  - Christie, M E
TI  - Fungal species isolated from peanuts in major Kenyan markets: Emphasis on Aspergillus section Flavi
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2013.05.004
JF  - Crop Protection
SP  - 1
Y1  - 2013///
ID  - icrisat6819
EP  - 9
SN  - 0261-2194
VL  - 52
PB  - Elsevier
ER  -