Abstract

This cross-sectional study identified mold contamination and its relationship with physicochemical factors in attiéké sold in Burkina Faso. Over two months (February-March 2023), coinciding with the cool-to-hot dry season transition, 100 attiéké samples were collected from markets in three major cities (Ouagadougou, Bobo-Dioulasso, and Koudougou). Fungal cultures were established on Sabouraud medium supplemented with chloramphenicol. Positive cultures were then counted, and the isolated molds were identified phenotypically. Moisture content and pH were measured using standard methods to assess their influence on fungal contamination. ANOVA (p < 0.05) identified significant differences in variables between cities, while Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to explore the relationships between physicochemical factors and fungal contamination levels. All samples (100%) exhibited fungal contamination at varying levels. The results revealed that Aspergillus (47.62%) was the most common mold, followed by Penicillium (32.14%), Fusarium (17.86%), and Mucor (2.38%). The average yeast and mold load was 1.4 x 10⁵ CFU/g, with the highest contamination observed in Bobo-Dioulasso. The mean pH and moisture content were 5.14 ± 1.10 and 53.26 ± 4.15, respectively. The results revealed a significant correlation between physicochemical factors and microbial load (p < 0.05). Thorough testing during production is crucial for detecting mycotoxin contamination, evaluating its potential harm, and ensuring product safety.

Key words: Aspergillus, moisture content, mycotoxin, contamination, mold, pH.