Consumer preferences and fungal and mycotoxin contamination of dried cassava products from Ghana

Members of one hundred and twenty five households from 19 villages producing dried cassava products were interviewed in Ghana. Kokonte was the most important cassava product in 19% of the households processing it. Most kokonte was produced between January and March. Mould growth during processing or storage was a problem during June and July, which is part of the rainy season. Most producers and market traders preferred non-mouldy kokonte, although many (59%) would consume a mouldy product. There was a price premium for non-mouldy kokonte. The most commonly isolated fungi were yeasts and Cladosporium spp. (44 out of 49 samples). Other fungi isolated included Aspergillus spp. (20 samples); Penicillium spp. (15 samples) and Fusarium spp. (30 samples). Sterigmatocystin was detected in 10 samples at 0.17-1.67 mg kg(-1); patulin in 4 samples at 0.55-0.85 mg kg(-1); cyclopiazonic acid in 4 samples at 0.08-0.72 mg kg(-1); penicillic acid in 5 samples at 0.06-0.23 mg kg(-1) and tenuazonic acid in 3 samples at 0.02-0.34 mg kg(-1). Mycotoxin contamination of mouldy kokonte was a potential problem; there is therefore the need to improve kokonte processing to avoid mould growth.