Fungal Diversity of Food Supplements Sold on the Markets of Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire): Case of Spirulina (<i>Arthrospira platensis</i>) and Moringa (<i>Moringa oleifera</i>) Powders

Abstract

The consumption of food supplements such as Spirulina and Moringa is increasing in developing countries. However, these foods, due to certain processing conditions, are likely to be contaminated by moulds potentially producing dangerous mycotoxins. The objective of this study is to determine the level of contamination and the diversity of fungal flora found in Spirulina (<i>Arthrospira platensis</i>) and Moringa (<i>Moringa oleifera</i>) powder produced and marketed in Abidjan. A total of 360 samples of powder, including 144 of Spirulina and 216 of Moringa, were collected from different sales outlets. The identification of fungal isolates was carried out on the basis of classical mycology criteria. The prevalence of fungal strains in the analyzed products was 85.83%, which 77.99% in Spirulina and 22.01% in Moringa. The predominant species were <i>Aspergillus flavus</i> (24.6%), <i>Aspergillus niger</i> (21.68%), <i>Penicillium sp</i> (20.71%), and <i>Aspergillus fumigatus</i> (12.62%). The study shows that Spirulina powder and Moringa powder sold in markets are contaminated with moulds, some of which are potentially mycotoxin producers posing a health risk to consumers. Strict hygiene measures must be observed during the production and marketing of Moringa and Spirulina powders in order to prevent any poisoning among consumers.