FUNGAL CONTAMINANTS IN LOCALLY MANUFACTURED COSMETIC PRODUCTS SOLD IN OWERRI, IMO STATE.

Abstract

Microbial contamination of cosmetic products poses significant public health risks, particularly in developing nations where informal manufacturing and inadequate regulatory oversight are prevalent. Fungi are of special concern due to their capacity to produce mycotoxins and cause opportunistic infections. This study determined the prevalence and fungal load of contaminants in locally manufactured cosmetic products sold in Owerri Municipal, Imo State, Nigeria. Twenty-five cosmetic samples; creams (n=6), lotions (n=5), soaps (n=5), powders (n=4), and hair creams (n=5) were collected from five commercial locations by purposive sampling. Samples were inoculated onto chloramphenicol-supplemented Sabouraud Dextrose Agar using the pour-plate technique and incubated at 25–28°C for 5–7 days. Isolates were identified by colony morphology, lactophenol cotton blue microscopy, and confirmatory biochemical tests. An overall contamination rate of 80% was recorded, yielding 30 isolates across five genera: Aspergillus spp. (30%), Penicillium spp. (20%), Candida spp. (17%), Rhizopus spp. (17%), and Mucor spp. (16%). Fungal loads ranged from 4.0 × 10³ to 1.5 × 10⁵ CFU/mL, exceeding ISO 17516:2019 limits across all product types. Hair creams recorded the highest counts (1.5 × 10⁵ CFU/mL); soaps the lowest (4.0 × 10³ CFU/mL). One-way ANOVA revealed significant differences in fungal load across product categories [F(4,20) = 4.24, p = 0.012], with creams and lotions carrying significantly higher loads than powders and hair creams. Locally manufactured cosmetics in Owerri Municipal are extensively contaminated with potentially pathogenic and toxigenic fungi. Urgent enforcement of Good Manufacturing Practices, strengthened NAFDAC oversight, and consumer education are essential to reduce public health risk.