Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus: aflatoxigenic fungi of concern in foods and feeds: a review

Aspergillus flavus and the closely related subspecies parasiticus have long been recognized as major contaminants of organic and nonorganic items. A. flavus, a common soil fungus, can infest a wide range of agricultural products. Some A. flavus varieties produce aflatoxins, which are carcinogenic to...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of food protection 1995-12, Vol.58 (12), p.1395-1404
Main Authors: Gourama, H. (Penn State, Reading, PA.), Bullerman, L.B
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
AFLATOXINAS
AFLATOXINE
ALIMENT POUR ANIMAUX
ALIMENTOS
ASPERGILLUS FLAVUS
ASPERGILLUS PARASITICUS
Biological and medical sciences
Food industries
Food microbiology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
PIENSOS
PRODUIT ALIMENTAIRE
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Summary:Aspergillus flavus and the closely related subspecies parasiticus have long been recognized as major contaminants of organic and nonorganic items. A. flavus, a common soil fungus, can infest a wide range of agricultural products. Some A. flavus varieties produce aflatoxins, which are carcinogenic toxins that induce liver cancer in laboratory animals. A. flavus var. flavus, A. flavus subsp. parasiticus, and A. nomius share the ability to produce aflatoxins. Identification of the A. flavus species group is mainly based on the color and macroscopic and microscopic characteristics of the fungus. A. flavus growth and aflatoxin biosynthesis depend on substrate, moisture, temperature, pH, aeration, and competing microflora. The growth of A. flavus and aflatoxin production are sometimes unavoidable. Aflatoxins are considered natural contaminants; the ideal control approach is prevention of mold growth and aflatoxin production. The detection of members of the A. flavus species group in foods and feed is generally carried out by using plate techniques such as surface spread or direct plating. Research on alternative fungal detection methods is still in its infancy. Few immunoassay techniques have been investigated in this regard. Aflatoxins are generally analyzed by chemical methods, although immunochemical methods which use antibodies are becoming common analytical tools for aflatoxins
ISSN:0362-028X
1944-9097
DOI:10.4315/0362-028x-58.12.1395