Assessment of Fungal Contamination in Fish Feed from the Lake Victoria Basin, Uganda
The emergence of commercial fish farming has stimulated the establishment of fish feed factories in Uganda. However, no information is available on the safety of the feed, mainly due to lack of mycotoxin testing facilities and weak regulatory systems. A study was carried out to examine fungal coloni...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2020-04-01
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| Series: | Toxins |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/12/4/233 |
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| author | Victoria Tibenda Namulawa Samuel Mutiga Fred Musimbi Sundy Akello Fredrick Ngángá Leah Kago Martina Kyallo Jagger Harvey Sita Ghimire |
| author_facet | Victoria Tibenda Namulawa Samuel Mutiga Fred Musimbi Sundy Akello Fredrick Ngángá Leah Kago Martina Kyallo Jagger Harvey Sita Ghimire |
| author_sort | Victoria Tibenda Namulawa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The emergence of commercial fish farming has stimulated the establishment of fish feed factories in Uganda. However, no information is available on the safety of the feed, mainly due to lack of mycotoxin testing facilities and weak regulatory systems. A study was carried out to examine fungal colonization and mycotoxin contamination in fish feed samples (n = 147) of different types collected from nine fish farms (n = 81) and seven fish feed factories (n = 66) in the Lake Victoria Basin (LVB). Fungi were isolated in potato dextrose agar, grouped into morphotypes and representative isolates from each morphotype were identified based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of ribosomal DNA sequences. Aflatoxin B<sub>1</sub> (AFB<sub>1</sub>) and total fumonisin (combinations of B<sub>1</sub>, B<sub>2</sub> and B<sub>3</sub>; hereinafter named fumonisin) levels in feed samples were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A wide range of fungi, including toxigenic <i>Aspergillus flavus</i> and <i>Fusarium verticillioides,</i> were isolated from the fish feed samples. AFB<sub>1</sub> was detected in 48% of the factory samples and in 63% of the farm samples, with toxin levels <40 and >400 µg/kg, respectively. Similarly, 31% of the factory samples and 29% of the farm samples had fumonisin contamination ranging between 0.1 and 4.06 mg/kg. Pellets and powder had higher mycotoxin contamination compared to other commercially available fish feed types. This study shows AFB<sub>1</sub> as a potential fish feed safety issue in the LVB and suggests a need for more research on mycotoxin residues in fish fillets. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:37:38Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6651 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:37:38Z |
| publishDate | 2020-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Toxins |
| spelling | doaj.art-4178d8f608344531920128e04c5427f22023-11-19T20:53:49ZengMDPI AGToxins2072-66512020-04-0112423310.3390/toxins12040233Assessment of Fungal Contamination in Fish Feed from the Lake Victoria Basin, UgandaVictoria Tibenda Namulawa0Samuel Mutiga1Fred Musimbi2Sundy Akello3Fredrick Ngángá4Leah Kago5Martina Kyallo6Jagger Harvey7Sita Ghimire8National Agricultural Research Organization, Aquaculture Research & Development Center, P.O. Box 530, Kampala 00256, UgandaBiosciences eastern and central Africa-International Livestock Research Institute (BecA–ILRI) Hub, P.O. Box 30709-00100, Nairobi 00100, KenyaNational Agricultural Research Organization, Aquaculture Research & Development Center, P.O. Box 530, Kampala 00256, UgandaBiosciences eastern and central Africa-International Livestock Research Institute (BecA–ILRI) Hub, P.O. Box 30709-00100, Nairobi 00100, KenyaBiosciences eastern and central Africa-International Livestock Research Institute (BecA–ILRI) Hub, P.O. Box 30709-00100, Nairobi 00100, KenyaBiosciences eastern and central Africa-International Livestock Research Institute (BecA–ILRI) Hub, P.O. Box 30709-00100, Nairobi 00100, KenyaBiosciences eastern and central Africa-International Livestock Research Institute (BecA–ILRI) Hub, P.O. Box 30709-00100, Nairobi 00100, KenyaBiosciences eastern and central Africa-International Livestock Research Institute (BecA–ILRI) Hub, P.O. Box 30709-00100, Nairobi 00100, KenyaBiosciences eastern and central Africa-International Livestock Research Institute (BecA–ILRI) Hub, P.O. Box 30709-00100, Nairobi 00100, KenyaThe emergence of commercial fish farming has stimulated the establishment of fish feed factories in Uganda. However, no information is available on the safety of the feed, mainly due to lack of mycotoxin testing facilities and weak regulatory systems. A study was carried out to examine fungal colonization and mycotoxin contamination in fish feed samples (n = 147) of different types collected from nine fish farms (n = 81) and seven fish feed factories (n = 66) in the Lake Victoria Basin (LVB). Fungi were isolated in potato dextrose agar, grouped into morphotypes and representative isolates from each morphotype were identified based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of ribosomal DNA sequences. Aflatoxin B<sub>1</sub> (AFB<sub>1</sub>) and total fumonisin (combinations of B<sub>1</sub>, B<sub>2</sub> and B<sub>3</sub>; hereinafter named fumonisin) levels in feed samples were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A wide range of fungi, including toxigenic <i>Aspergillus flavus</i> and <i>Fusarium verticillioides,</i> were isolated from the fish feed samples. AFB<sub>1</sub> was detected in 48% of the factory samples and in 63% of the farm samples, with toxin levels <40 and >400 µg/kg, respectively. Similarly, 31% of the factory samples and 29% of the farm samples had fumonisin contamination ranging between 0.1 and 4.06 mg/kg. Pellets and powder had higher mycotoxin contamination compared to other commercially available fish feed types. This study shows AFB<sub>1</sub> as a potential fish feed safety issue in the LVB and suggests a need for more research on mycotoxin residues in fish fillets.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/12/4/233Fish feedsRegulationsAFB<sub>1</sub>FumonisinUganda |
| spellingShingle | Victoria Tibenda Namulawa Samuel Mutiga Fred Musimbi Sundy Akello Fredrick Ngángá Leah Kago Martina Kyallo Jagger Harvey Sita Ghimire Assessment of Fungal Contamination in Fish Feed from the Lake Victoria Basin, Uganda Toxins Fish feeds Regulations AFB<sub>1</sub> Fumonisin Uganda |
| title | Assessment of Fungal Contamination in Fish Feed from the Lake Victoria Basin, Uganda |
| title_full | Assessment of Fungal Contamination in Fish Feed from the Lake Victoria Basin, Uganda |
| title_fullStr | Assessment of Fungal Contamination in Fish Feed from the Lake Victoria Basin, Uganda |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessment of Fungal Contamination in Fish Feed from the Lake Victoria Basin, Uganda |
| title_short | Assessment of Fungal Contamination in Fish Feed from the Lake Victoria Basin, Uganda |
| title_sort | assessment of fungal contamination in fish feed from the lake victoria basin uganda |
| topic | Fish feeds Regulations AFB<sub>1</sub> Fumonisin Uganda |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/12/4/233 |
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