ABSTRACT

This study was aimed at isolating and identifying some fungi associated with baked food products (cake and bread) of different trademarks. Ten (10) samples of cake and bread were purchased from different retail points in the city of Umuahia. The fungi associated with deteriorated test products were isolated and identified based on their cultural and morphological characteristics. The isolates belonged to five fungal:  Penicillium, Aspergillus, Rhizopus, Mucor, and Cladosporium. Rhizopus stolonifer was isolated from all the deteriorised commercial bread samples while Cladosporium spp had the lowest frequency of occurrence (20.0%). Aspergillus spp had a 60% frequency of occurrence while Penicillium sp and Mucor sp. of 80% and 60% respectively. For the cake samples, Aspergillus sp and Penicillium were the predominant organisms with 80% and 60% occurrence respectively. In this study Rhizopus sp was found to be the most common fungus. The presence of these decay fungi in commercial bread and cakes is a public health hazard as some of them have been known to produce mycotoxins which are injurious to health.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page i

Certification ii

Dedication iii

Acknowledgements iv

Table of contents v

List of tables vi

Abstract                                                                                                                          vii

CHAPTER ONE :INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background Of The Study 1

1.2 Aim and objectives 4

CHAPTER TWO : LITERATURE REVIEW 

2.1 Environment as contaminants of baked products 5

2.2 Fungal Spoilage of Baked Goods 6

2.2.1 Mould Growth 9

2.3 Cereals and their contamination with fungi and mycotoxins 13

2.4 Spoilage Of Bakery Products 14

2.5 Mycotoxins 15

2.6 Economical Importance Of Bakery Products 16

2.7 Protection against Mould Spoilage 18

2.7.1 Protective Packaging 19

2.8 Control Of Microbial Growth In Baked Goods 20

CHAPTER THREE: 

3.0 Materials And Methods 24

3.1 Sample Collection 24

3.2 Culture Media preparation 24

3.3 Isolation of microorganisms from the samples 24

3.4 Identification of Fungal Isolates 25

CHAPTER FOUR :

4.0 Results 26

CHAPTER FIVE: 

5.0 Discussion and Conclusion 31

5.1 Discussion 31

5.2 Conclusion 33

References 34