Assessing the Safety of Tiger Nut Drinks Produced from Cyperus esculentus L. Seeds Sold in Ota

Aflatoxins produced by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus are secondary metabolites that pose a major threat to global food security resulting in detrimental impacts on human and animal health. This study screened for the presence of aflatoxigenic fungi and their metabolites – aflatoxins in tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus L.) seeds and the produced tiger nut drinks. Samples were obtained from three major dealers in Ota, Ogun state, using the snowball sampling technique. The seeds were cleaned and processed into milk drinks thereafter stored at 4 °C for 15 hours prior to analysis. The milk drink was serial diluted and plated on Rose Bengal chloramphenicol media at 28 °C for 7 days for initial fungi isolation. The pure isolates were obtained on potato dextrose agar. Total fungal count ranged from 1.0 × 10⁴ cfu/ml (in tiger nut drinks) to 3.0 × 10⁶ cfu/g (in tiger nut). Qualitative assessment of the toxigenic potential of the fungi was assessed on ammonium hydroxide on yeast extract sucrose agar where positive isolates showed pink or red coloration. Preliminary findings from this study reveal that the seeds used to prepare the tiger nut drinks were contaminated with aflatoxins produced by the fungal contaminants. It is imperative that proper storage of grains is important for the overall health benefits of humans, thus reducing disease burden in the society.