Food Condiment Series 1 : Fungal Contamination of Two Food Condiments ( Brachystegia eurycoma and Detarium macrocarpum ) Sold in Some Local Markets in Rivers State Ikechi-Nwogu

This work is aimed at identifying these organisms in order to reduce the contamination of food condiments. A survey of seed-borne fungi associated with the seeds of Brachystegia eurycoma and Detarium macrocarpum (Whole and Ground) obtained from two different local markets in Rivers State namely; Etche and Bori was conducted. Fungi were isolated using Standard Blotter Method and pure cultures of Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus spp, Botrydiplodia theobromae, Fusarium solani, Rhizopus stolonifer, Penicillium spp, Penicillium notatum and Fusarium moniliforme, were obtained on Potatoes Dextrose Agar (PDA). Comparing the fungal contamination of the food condiments Detarium macrocarpum and Brachystegia eurycoma from 2 different markets in Rivers State, shows that the fungi obtained from Etche market has the highest percentage incidence of 181.83% as compared to Bori market (79.16%). It shows that these Original Research Article legumes are good substrate, for detrimental to human health because of the diseases they cause. cause harm to us thus, consumers are advised to buy the whole seeds of ( and Detarium macrocarpum) and use immediately. Preservation of food condiments should be a major concern in order to improve food security and safe guard the health of the consumers.


INTRODUCTION
Brachystegia eurycoma belongs to fabaceae family. In Nigeria, they have different names: In Edo State, it is known as okuen, Cross Rivers State call it okung and in the Igbo speaking state like Abia State, it is known as Achi. It is a less important legumes, used to lessen the problem of protein malnutrition in developing countries [1]. It is an economic tree crop with large twisted branches that grows up to 35 m tall [2]. It is used as shade for ornamental tree, especially in the dry season. B. eurycoma is a woody plant found in the rain forest zone. The seeds are rich in protein and carbohydrate and it flowers in from April-May and matures from September [2]. The plant has flat brown pods shiny brown edible seeds that are disk-shaped, 2 diameter. When mature, their seeds are thrown out their pods explosively [2].

Plate 1. Dehulled Brachystegia eurycoma seeds
It occurs in southern Nigeria, Gabon and western Cameroon. It is used in construction, cabinet making, furniture works, flooring, carpentry and interior joinery. The wood can also be used to make veneer and plywood. The seeds are spicy and consumed as condiment. They are used to increase the viscosity of soups in also used to make food wrappers and gums. According to researchers, it helps in maintaining heat within the body when consumed, in other words, it is a good source of nutrient and helps in the control of the body temperature seeds help to fight against colon and rectal Gloria and Happy; JABB, 14 (1): [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]2017; Article no.JABB 2 legumes are good substrate, for the growth of pathogenic fungi that produce toxins that are detrimental to human health because of the diseases they cause. Fungi produce toxins which cause harm to us thus, consumers are advised to buy the whole seeds of (Brachystegia eurycoma ) and use immediately. Preservation of food condiments should be a major concern in order to improve food security and safe guard the health of the consumers. mycotoxins; Detarium macrocarpum; Brachystegia eurycoma belongs to fabaceae In Nigeria, they have different names: In Edo State, it is known as okuen, Cross Rivers State call it okung and in the Igbo speaking state like Abia State, it is known as Achi. It is a less important legumes, used to lessen the problem tion in developing countries [1]. It is an economic tree crop with large twisted m tall [2]. It is used as shade for ornamental tree, especially in the is a woody plant found seeds are rich in protein and carbohydrate and it flowers in from May and matures from September-January [2]. The plant has flat brown pods shiny brown shaped, 2 cm in diameter. When mature, their seeds are thrown

Brachystegia eurycoma occurs in southern Nigeria, Gabon and western
It is used in construction, cabinet making, furniture works, flooring, carpentry and interior joinery. The wood can also be used to plywood. The seeds are spicy and consumed as condiment. They are used to increase the viscosity of soups in Nigeria. It is also used to make food wrappers and gums. According to researchers, it helps in maintaining heat within the body when consumed, in other words, it is a good source of nutrient and helps in the control of the body temperature [3]. These help to fight against colon and rectal cancer when eaten as they help in softening hard stools [4].
The tree is used as a food and medicine.
Exudates from the stem are useful antibacterial for the treatment of wounds and infections. Then the seed tincture has useful anti compound.
Detarium microcarpum is a member of the sub family Caesalpinaceae and Fabaceae family [5] that thrives in both the Rainforest and Savanna zones in Nigeria. It is known by various names as "Ofor" (Ibo), "Taura" (Hausa), and "Ogbogbo" (Yoruba) in Nigeria.
The plant is a tree of up to 10 m high with twisted bole and spreading crooked branches, the wood is hard and dark brown in colour. It is a large tree with a twisted trunk and widely spread crooked branches. The fruits are drupe like, circular or disc-shaped with a tangled network of fibers. The seeds occur singly and are within the hard disc shaped, brownish shell.

Plate 2. Boiled Detarium microcarpum
It flowers during the rainy season and bears fruit from September-January/May and in November, it sheds its leaves and produces new ones in March [6].
The fruit are eaten raw or cooked. emulsify, flavour and as thickening agent used to thicken soup, bake cakes and bread, added when producing baby food and used to prepare ; Article no.JABB.33661 the growth of pathogenic fungi that produce toxins that are Fungi produce toxins which Brachystegia eurycoma ) and use immediately. Preservation of food condiments should be a major concern in order to improve food security and safe guard the health of the consumers.

eurycoma.
cancer when eaten as they help in softening hard The tree is used as a food and medicine. Exudates from the stem are useful antibacterial for the treatment of wounds and infections. Then the seed tincture has useful anti-inflammatory is a member of the sub naceae and Fabaceae family [5] that thrives in both the Rainforest and Savanna zones in Nigeria. It is known by various names as "Ofor" (Ibo), "Taura" (Hausa), and "Ogbogbo" m high with twisted spreading crooked branches, the wood is hard and dark brown in colour. It is a large tree with a twisted trunk and widely spread crooked branches. The fruits are drupe like, circular or shaped with a tangled network of fibers. The and are within the hard disc

Detarium microcarpum seeds
It flowers during the rainy season and bears fruit January/May and in November, it sheds its leaves and produces new ones in The fruit are eaten raw or cooked. It is used to emulsify, flavour and as thickening agent used to thicken soup, bake cakes and bread, added when producing baby food and used to prepare local beer [6]. The leaves are used as a condiment or vegetables, as are its flowers [6].
Tuberculosis, meningitis and diarrhea are treated using the roots, stems, bark, leaves and fruits. They are also used to treat farm animals [6]. Decoctions made from the barks, leaves and roots are used to treat venereal diseases, rheumatism, urogenital infections, hemorrhoids, stomach-ache, intestinal worms and dysentery, headache, sore throat, back pain, convulsions, constipation, measles, hypertension, itch and painful menstruation. They are also used to treat against malaria, impotence and leprosy. The fresh bark or leaves are applied to wounds, to prevent infections and cure infections. The fresh leaves and bark can be squeezed and given to fainted patient to revive them. The leaves pounded and mixed with milk is very efficient for the treatment of snakebites. In Chad the heated roots are also used to repel mosquito. They enrich the soil with nitrogen through the bacterial root nodules as well as serving as "nutrient pumps," bringing up nutrients that have been leached to soil horizons deeper than the topsoil, and eventually releasing them in the form of leaf litter and decaying organic plant residues [6]. They are used for carpentry, piles, fences and joinery.
When the seeds are sun-dried and stored in the same container with other spices and stimulants or exposed in the market, it is liable to harbour propagules of many common fungi associated with post-harvest deterioration and toxin production since humid tropical climate favour fungi. Some fungi could be mere surface contaminants while others could be deep seated, surviving long enough to cause considerable damage both to the seed quality and the consumer. Many of these surface contaminants include fungi which have been isolated from seeds, fruits, vegetables and stored products in the tropics particularly in Niger Delta and are reported to produce mycotoxins in high concentrations. These have been associated with fatal disorders in consumers and in the production of biochemical changes which reduced the seed and fruits quality [7,8]. Aflatoxins, Ochratoxins, Petulin and other Mycotoxins secreted by the Aspergillus spp, Penicillium spp and Fusarium spp, have been associated with such mycotoxicoses as liver damage, carcinoma, weakness and reduction in growth [9]. This study is aimed at investigating fungal species that contaminate the seed of D. macrocarpum with the view of authenticating its consumption and ethno medicinal uses.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Mature seeds of D. macrocarpum and B. eurycoma were bought from two (2) different markets in Rivers State; Bori market in Khana Local Government Area and Umuanyagwu market in Etche in Local Government Area respectively.

Isolation
Fungi were isolated from the seeds of D macrocarpum and B. eurycoma using Standard Blotter Method recommended by International Rules for Seed Testing [10]. Sterilized Petri dishes were lined with 3 layers of sterilized 9cm filter paper. Sterilized distilled water was used to wet them and excess water poured out. The seeds were sorted to remove visible diseased ones then surface sterilized by dipping into 70% ethanol for 2 minutes and rinsed twice in sterilized distilled water; then placed in Petri dishes equidistantly and incubated at 25°C in the laboratory for 7 days.

Inoculation/ Preparation of Pure Culture
The work benches are first surface sterilized using 70% and cotton wool. An inoculating needle was flamed until red hot then dip in alcohol to cool. With the heat-sterilized needle a small portion of the fungi colony were picked and transferred into a sterilized plate containing the solidified Potato Dextrose Agar and the needle flamed again until red hot, to kill all adhering spores and hyphae. After which, the culture were allowed to grow in an incubator [11].
For the control seeds, each were placed in a Petri dish without surface sterilization. After the incubation period, the seeds were examined using a binocular stereomicroscope (25-50×) magnification, for incidence of fungi on them. If present (+) and if absent (-).The number of seeds with the same colour of fungi was counted and recorded. The total number of seeds with fungal growth was calculated. Fungi were identified and finally the results were analyzed using Analysis of variance (Anova).
Mean % incidence or occurrence of fungi from each market was calculated using the formula; Mean % = Total no. of occurrence of a particular fungi × 100 Total no. of plated sample 1 Comparing whole seeds from the two markets, the Etche market has the highest number of Fusarium moniliforme, followed by Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger. While Fusarium solani occurred only in Etche. For the grinded seeds, Aspergillus flavus is higher in Etche market followed by Fusarium moniliforme, Penicillium spp,. Penicillium chrysogenum, Aspergillus niger, in Bori market is higher.

RESULTS/ DISCUSSION
The ground specimen was found to have a higher level of percentage incidences of fungi due to the fact that they are exposed to fungi activity than the whole forms of the seed. Thus, the ground form is more prone to fungal attack.
The Climatic conditions prevalent in Etche market had been reported to favour the survival of some fungi also isolated from other fruits, vegetables, food spices and stimulants [12,13].
However, [9] had recommended grinding and packaging in tins or polythene bags of foods and condiments as a means of conserving the light sensitive vitamin and riboflavin and preventing it from microbial contamination.   [13].
The samples that got rotten completely at the end of the incubation period after analysis showed the presence of gram positive bacteria alongside with Fusarium moniliforme.
Consumers should be aware that microorganisms are present in these food condiments that we consume every day and various ways should be employed in other to make these food condiments free from microbes. Right from the initial state of production to the time the produce reaches the consumers, the farmer has to combat many unfavorable circumstances. Among these are pests, micro-organisms which ingest the farmland foreign matter which may be dangerous or otherwise poisonous substances or impurities which get into the produces from materials used in processing micro-organisms and dirt introduced into the produce through unhygienic practice off the people who handled the produce as well as the loss of quality that results in short comings in storage practices.
Pathogenic organisms which get into food stuff cause diseases to the consumer. The excreta of rodents and birds contain millions of microbes. These can cause deadly diseases as well as poisoning due to toxic materials secreted by fungi also have been proved to cause cancer, and food condiments processed in dirty and unhygienic conditions are unfit for human consumption.
Premises used to dry and store these food condiments should be clean and hygiene and free from dust, cobwebs, dirt etc. Food condiments should be kept separately from other fruits, vegetables etc to avoid transfer of fungal contaminants.
The differences between the fungi found in the whole and ground samples as shown in the result might be due to the method of processing which makes the ground seeds prone to fungi attack.

CONCLUSION
In conclusion, this study has shown that D. macrocarpum and B. eurycoma are good substrate for the growth of pathogenic fungi which are infectious and detrimental to human because of the diseases they cause such as: damage and weakening of the immune system, to tumors in the human urinary tract, liver cancer, fever, cough, chest pain and breathlessness [14]. So foods should be properly washed, stored in a protected environment and measures should be taken to prevent fungal contamination of food during preparation of meal. There are needs to improve the handling, storage and environments where food items are. In this case, food condiments should be a major concern in order to improve food security and safe guard the health of the consumers. Improved safety of foods can be achieved through awareness raising programs involving several partners such as local authorities, the food vendors, government departments, consumer organizations, standard setting bodies and some non-governmental organizations. Comparing the fungal contamination of food condiments Detarium macrocarpum gotten from the 2 different local markets in Rivers State, study reveals that the fungi obtained from Etche market has the highest percentage incidences of fungi as compared to the Bori market.