Fusarium fungi and mycotoxins in staple food in Benin and human health risk

Combined mycotoxin contamination patterns with fungal sources were studied in maize, rice, and peanuts from Beninese markets, to evaluate population exposure by staple foods and to characterise its <i>Fusarium</i> species. An initial survey of 95 maize samples in 2022 showed fumonisins contamination up to 9900 μg/kg, with 20% exceeding the FDA advisory level and the EU maximum level of 2000 μg/kg for direct human consumption. Subsequent analysis in 2024 of another 69 samples also on aflatoxins confirmed the previous findings, with co-occurrence in many samples. Fungal characterisation from maize, sorghum and millet identified <i>F. verticillioides</i> predominantly in maize and <i>F. andiyazi</i> in sorghum. Metabolomic analysis demonstrated that <i>F. verticillioides</i> isolates produced multiple fumonisins, while <i>F. andiyazi</i> produced only fusarins. These findings connect contamination patterns to their fungal sources in cereals and highlight the importance of ongoing surveillance for regional food safety, particularly given climate change impacts on fungal growth.