A review on microorganisms and mycotoxin contamination of selected ' meals' - Potential health risks to consumers.

a local parlance used by Nigerians to describe ready-to-eat pasty foods rich in carbohydrates which include , pounded yam, , , , , among others; molded in small size balls using the palm and dipped inside a bowl of nutritious and delicious soup (okro, , , bitter leaf soups etc.) before swallowing it. meals are often prepared in households and eateries, without strict implementation of food hygiene, which predisposes the meal to contamination by microorganisms. The use of palm, often not properly washed, to eat meal is a common practice that is capable of contaminating the food. Since meals are regarded as street foods, microbial contamination, and subsequent release of mycotoxins above permissible limits into the food is a threat to public health. Therefore, we reviewed scientific papers published from 2000 to 2023 that reported various microorganisms and mycotoxins associated with meals, starting from the preparation stages to the plate-ready meal. The dominant bacteria reported were spp. and spp., while the fungi are spp. Mycotoxins, which include aflatoxin, fumonisins, among others, were detected in some meals, soup ingredients, and raw foodstuffs. Although only two incidences of foodborne outbreaks linked to contaminated were reported, there is a need to regularly monitor the microbiological quality of the meals to avoid future outbreaks.