Nutritive composition and mycoflora of sundried millet seeds (Panicum miliacieum) during storage

Mycoflora of sun dried millet seeds during storage and the effect of these fungi on the chemical composition of millet (Panicum milliacieum) were determined. Seven fungi; Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus, Mucor sp., Neurospora sp., Penicillium sp., Fusarium sp. and Absidia cylindrospora were found to be associated with the sun dried millet seeds in storage while the freshly prepared millet harboured Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus, Mucor sp. and Fusarium sp. The various fungi were isolated using direct plating, dilution and washing methods. The fungal count was found to increase as the time of storage increased. Furthermore, the carbohydrate, crude protein, crude fat and fibre content of freshly prepared millets were significantly higher than those of the stored ones while the moisture and ash content of the stored ones were significantly higher than those of the freshly prepared ones. The increase in the moisture and ash content with storage time may be due to the degradative activities of the fungi present on and or in the samples. All the minerals (Na, K, Ca, Mg, Zn, Fe, Mn and Pd) assessed were found to be in high concentrations in the freshly prepared millet than in the stored samples except Fe and Mn.