Introduction: To relieve the environmental stress occasioned by this agro-allied waste and provide a nutritious feed alternative useful in livestock industry
Introduction: Study on the fungi and aflatoxin production in some selected Nigerian foodstuffs was conducted in Ibadan, Nigeria. Foodstuffs studied include dry tatase pepper (Capsium annum), cassava chips, yam chips, groundnut and maize. The investigated foodstuffs sold at 4 major markets in Ibadan were contaminated with Rhizopus nigricans, Fusarium oxysporum, Aspergillus flavus and A. niger. The rate of occurrence of aflatoxigenic fungi was highest in groundnut while non-aflatoxigenic fungi dominated dry tatase pepper. Aflatoxins B1 and G1 were detected only in groundnut and yam chips with their concentrations ranging from 7-24 and 5-27 ?g kg-1, respectively. There was a significant difference (p<0.05) between the aflatoxin contents of groundnut samples from different market and this was possibly due to the wide variations in the moisture contents of groundnut samples. Result from this study is suggesting that aflatoxin intake in this part of the world may be consequent upon the consumption of staples like groundnut and yam chips. Therefore, resources and efforts should be directed at reducing aflatoxin contents of these culprit foodstuffs so as to produce a more healthy and productive populace.