Incidence of toxigenic fungi and ochratoxin A in dried fruits sold in Brazil
- 1 December 2005
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Informa UK Limited in Food Additives & Contaminants
- Vol. 22 (12), 1258-1263
- https://doi.org/10.1080/02652030500260447
Abstract
A total of 117 dried fruit samples (black sultanas, white sultanas, dates, dried plums, dried figs and apricots) from different origins were analysed both for toxigenic fungi and for the presence of ochratoxin A. Amongst the fungi found, Aspergillus niger was predominant, with 406 isolates, of which 15% were ochratoxin A producers. They were followed by A. ochraceus, with 15 isolates and 87% ochratoxigenics, and A. carbonarius, with only five isolates of which 60% were ochratoxin A producers. The average infection rates for A. niger in black sultanas, plums, figs, dates and white sultanas were 22.0, 8.0, 4.0, 1.5 and 0.5%, respectively. The apricot samples were not contaminated by any fungi or ochratoxin A. Black sultana and dried figs contained the highest contamination with ochratoxin A, with 33 and 26.3% of the samples containing more than 5 µg kg−1 respectively, while all the white sultanas, dates and plums had no sample that exceeded this limit.Keywords
This publication has 20 references indexed in Scilit:
- Potential ochratoxin A producers from wine grapes in Argentina and BrazilFood Additives & Contaminants, 2002
- Molecular characterization of Paecilomyces fumosoroseus (Deuteromycotina: Hyphomycetes) isolatesScientia Agricola, 2000
- Occurrence of ochratoxin A (OTA) in wines: influence of the type of wine and its geographical originFood Additives & Contaminants, 2000
- Ochratoxin A in dried vine fruit: method development and surveyFood Additives & Contaminants, 1999
- Fungi and Food SpoilagePublished by Springer Science and Business Media LLC ,1997
- Sun and artificial air drying kinetics of some agricultural productsJournal of Food Engineering, 1997
- Liquid Chromatographic Determination of Ochratoxin A in Pure and Adulterated Soluble Coffee Using an Immunoaffinity Column Cleanup ProcedureJournal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 1996
- Influence of harvesting and drying techniques on microflora and mycotoxin contamination of figsMolecular Nutrition & Food Research, 1995
- Evaluation of analytical methods used for regulation of foods and drugsAnalytical Chemistry, 1982
- The Genetics of Aspergillus nidulansAdvances in genetics, 1953