Isolation and Identification of Fungi Associated with Dried Meat Sold at Sokoto Metropolis

Thin sheets of high-quality, lean beef are partially dried in the sun to create dried meat made from animals. The duration of the solar drying phases and the infusion period of the ingredients rely on the ambient conditions, which are the primary sources of microbial contamination, notably fungi. This study's objective was to recognize and collect fungi connected to the dried meat offered for sale in Sokoto city. During the course of the research, dried meat samples were gathered from four different Sokoto metropolis locations, including Kusha Shagalinku on Atiku Road, Gidan Man Ada, Abdullahi Fodio Road, and Sasakawa. The samples were examined for microorganisms using serial dilution, and fungi were identified based on the morphology of the colony, conidia, and conidiogenous cells. The research's findings showed that four species of fungi were isolated, with Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Aspergillus terreus having the highest and lowest percentages of occurrence, respectively, among the isolated species. According to the location, the dried meat retrieved from Atiku road has the lowest frequency occurrence (1.94) and the fungi isolated from it has the highest frequency occurrence (30.56%). These results suggest that eating dry meat may increase the risk of exposure to aflatoxins in humans. The preparation and storing of the dried meat should be done with the utmost safety and cleanliness.