MOULDS

Milk is the fresh lacteal secretion from the mammary glands of mammals used in nourishing their young. It also serves as a significant food source for humans of all ages. However, milk can be easily contaminated by microorganisms and toxic substances such as aflatoxins during the stages of milking, processing, storage and transportation. The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize moulds from raw cow milk and its locally processed products, sold in open markets in Benin City. A total of 16 samples were obtained from two markets (Aduwawa and Oluku) in Benin City, Edo state. All samples were serially diluted and inoculated on Potato dextrose agar (PDA) using the pour plate technique. Pure cultures were obtained, and fungal isolates were identified based on the cultural and morphological characteristics. The pH of each sample was determined using an electronic pH meter (PH-98108) and the moisture contents of the samples were determined according to the method of AOAC. Fungal counts obtained in this study ranged from 0.10 ± 1.00 to 0.90 ± 0.30x10 3 Cfu/ml. Fungi isolated in this study include: Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium digitatum, Rhizopus nigricans, Curvulavia lunata, Fusarium oxysporium, Cladosporium sp, and Penicillium sp. The most occurring fungi were Penicillium sp. and Aspergillus niger (23%) and the least occurring fungi (7.7%) were Rhizopus nigricans and Curvulavia lunata. Mean pH values of the samples ranged from 4.10 ± 0.30 to 6.20 ± 0.80 while the moisture content ranged from 6.00 ± 0.40% to 20.00 ± 0.70%. This study revealed the presence of mycotoxigenic moulds such as Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus niger in locally processed milk products sold in open markets in Benin City. This may have resulted from unhygienic conditions during processing and storage of the milk products, and poor sanitary conditions of the milk handlers as well.