INCIDENCE OF ASPERGILLUS SPECIES ON BREAD COMMONLY CONSUMED IN BENIN CITY

ABSTRACT

Aspergillus species are one of the food borne pathogens regarded as opportunistic fungi that affect the commonly consumed local breads in our society today due to the unhygienic condition of bread. The other organisms found to be associated with the spoilage of bread were strictly fungal organisms which include; Rhizopus spp, Aspergillus spp, Mucor spp, Penicillium spp, and Fusarium spp. Among the Aspergillus species affecting breads, Aspergillus flavus dominates the other species of Aspergillus. The Aspergillus species like A.flavus causes a lot of health hazard especially on people whose immunity has been compromised, hence, giving room to other severe and dangerous diseases which play negative impact on the wellbeing of such people. The bread used was sold within the axis of University of Benin and Ugbowo in Edo state.