Isolation and Identification of Fungal Strains from Fresh and Smoked Fish from the Sassandra River in Côte d’Ivoire

Introduction: Fresh and smoked fish are widely consumed in Côte d'Ivoire as everywhere in West Africa. However, these foodstuffs, due to certain processing conditions, are likely to be contaminated by molds that produce dangerous mycotoxins.

Objective: This study aimed to isolate and identify fungal strains contaminating fresh and smoked fish from the Sassandra River in Côte d'Ivoire.

Place and Date of the Study: Sampling was carried out in various processing sites around the Sassandra River, particularly in the towns of Soubré and Guessabo. The microbiological analysis was carried out at Jean Lorougnon Guédé University in Daloa (Ivory Coast).

Methods: A total of 108 samples of fresh and smoked fish were collected. Isolation and purification of fungal strains were carried out on Sabouraud medium with chloramphenicol. The identification of isolated strains was made on the basis of morphological and cultural criteria.

Results: A total of 126 fungal strains were isolated, including 87 from the Guessabo samples and 39 from the Soubré samples from 54 fresh fish and 54 smoked fish. The predominant species were Aspergillus of the Glaucus group (39%), Aspergillus niger (36%) and Penicillium sp. (25%).

Conclusion: This study shows that fresh and smoked fish from the Sassandra River in Côte d'Ivoire are contaminated by several strains of molds, some of which produce mycotoxins that can cause illness in consumers depending on their concentrations. It would therefore be appropriate to improve processing techniques.