Characterization and Identification of Fungi in the Sorrel Beverage (Zobo) Hawked in Ifite Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria

Sorrel beverage (Zobo) is a nutritive, medicinal and refreshing drink made from the dried calyces of Hibiscus sabdariffa. The fungal assessment of the Zobo samples purchased from ten hawkers in Ifite Awka, Nigeria as well as the control sample were carried out using standard methods. The pH values of the samples were also determined. The average fungal counts of the hawked samples ranged between 110 and 210 cfu/ml while the pH ranged between 2.1 and 2.6. No fungus was isolated from the control sample prepared under aseptic conditions in the laboratory while it’s pH was 2.2. The fungi were identified as Aspergillus niger (23.77%), Rhizopus stolonifer (19.48%), Fusarium oxysporum (8.57%), Penicillium expansum (17.14%), and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (31.04%). Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus stolonifer, Fusarium oxysporum, Penicillium expansum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae were present in 70%, 60%, 30%, 50% and 90% of the samples respectively. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was the predominant fungus isolated from the samples. The presence of most of these fungi in significant numbers in the product is a public health problem. Effective preservation methods should be used while adequate quality control during production, packaging and storage as well as good personal and environmental hygiene should be encouraged. These measures will minimize the entry and proliferation of fungi and the health risk associated with them