Ono LT, Silva JJ, Doná S, Martins LM, Iamanaka BT, Fungaro MHP, Pitt JI, Taniwaki MH. Aspergillus section Flavi and aflatoxins in Brazilian cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) and products.
Mycotoxin Res 2021;
37:221-228. [PMID:
34036551 DOI:
10.1007/s12550-021-00430-2]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Aflatoxins are carcinogenic compounds produced by some species of Aspergillus, especially those belonging to Aspergillus section Flavi. Their occurrence in food may start in the field, in the post-harvest, or during storage due to inadequate handling and storage. Because cassava is a staple food for a high percentage of the Brazilian population, we evaluated the presence of aflatoxin-producing species in cassava tubers, cassava products (cassava flour, cassava starch, sour starch, and tapioca flour), and in soil samples collected from cassava fields. In addition, the levels of aflatoxin contamination in cassava products were quantified. A total of 101 samples were analyzed, and 45 strains of Aspergillus section Flavi were isolated. Among the identified species, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus arachidicola, Aspergillus novoparasiticus, and Aspergillus parasiticus were found. The majority of strains (73.3%) tested for their aflatoxin-producing ability in synthetic media was positive. Despite that, cassava and cassava products were essentially free of aflatoxins, and only one sample of cassava flour contained traces of AFB1 (0.35 μg/kg).
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