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Fungal and bacterial metabolites of stored maize (Zea mays, L.) from five agro-ecological zones of Nigeria

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Abstract

Seventy composite samples of maize grains stored in five agro-ecological zones (AEZs) of Nigeria where maize is predominantly produced were evaluated for the presence of microbial metabolites with the LC-MS/MS technique. The possible relationships between the storage structures and levels of mycotoxin contamination were also evaluated. Sixty-two fungal and four bacterial metabolites were extracted from the grains, 54 of which have not been documented for maize in Nigeria. Aflatoxin B1 and fumonisin B1 were quantified in 67.1 and 92.9 % of the grains, while 64.1 and 57.1 % exceeded the European Union Commission maximum acceptable limit (MAL) for aflatoxin B1 and fumonisins, respectively. The concentration of deoxynivalenol was, however, below the MAL with occurrence levels of 100 and 10 % for its masked metabolite, deoxynivalenol glucoside. The bacterial metabolites had low concentrations and were not a source of concern. The storage structures significantly correlated positively or negatively (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05), respectively with the levels of grain contamination. Consumption of maize grains, a staple Nigerian diet, may therefore expose the population to mycotoxin contamination. There is need for an immediate action plan for mycotoxin mitigation in Nigeria, especially in the Derived Savannah zone, in view of the economic and public health importance of the toxins.

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Acknowledgments

The authors give thanks to Mr Isaac Ogara of the Nasarawa State University, Lafia Campus for his assistance towards the collection of the maize grains. The co-authors from IFA-Tulln also acknowledge the Government of Lower Austria.

Source of funding

The authors are grateful to the Institute of Food Security, Environmental Resources and Agricultural Research, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria for part funding (IFSERAR/UNAAB/IRG 70) the research work.

Conflict of interest

The Institute of Food Security, Environmental Resources and Agricultural Research (IFSERAR), Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria has no interest in the publication of the results and thus there is no conflict of interest. The authors are in full control of all the primary data reported in this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, P.M.B. 2240, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria

    Modupeade Adetunji & Olusegun Obadina

  2. Department of Foodservice & Tourism, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, P.M.B. 2240, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria

    Olusegun Atanda & Adegoke Bakare

  3. Mycology/Mycotoxicology Research Unit, Department of Biosciences and Biotechnology, Babcock University, Ilishan Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria

    Chibundu N. Ezekiel

  4. Center for Analytical Chemistry, Department of Agrobiotechnology (IFA-Tulln), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Konrad Lorenzstr. 20, 3430, Tulln, Austria

    Michael Sulyok, Benedikt Warth, Eduardo Beltrán & Rudolf Krska

  5. Food, Environment and Health Research Group, Faculty of Health Science, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein Campus, 2028, Gauteng, P.O. Box 17011, South Africa

    Cynthia A. Chilaka

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  1. Modupeade Adetunji
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  2. Olusegun Atanda
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  3. Chibundu N. Ezekiel
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  4. Michael Sulyok
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  5. Benedikt Warth
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  8. Olusegun Obadina
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  9. Adegoke Bakare
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  10. Cynthia A. Chilaka
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Correspondence to Olusegun Atanda.

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Adetunji, M., Atanda, O., Ezekiel, C.N. et al. Fungal and bacterial metabolites of stored maize (Zea mays, L.) from five agro-ecological zones of Nigeria. Mycotoxin Res 30, 89–102 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12550-014-0194-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12550-014-0194-2

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