OCCURRENCE OF AFLATOXIN-PRODUCING MOULDS IN CHEESE

Document Type : Research article

Authors

Dept. of Food Hygiene and Control Fac. of Vet. Med., Suez Canal Univ.

Abstract

A total of 120 cheese samples of 4 different types (30 samples each) collected randomly from different localities in Ismaillia Governorate were mycologically investigated. The average mould counts were 3.9x10, 5.1x10, 7.2x104 and 2.3x102 cfu/g as estimated from the
examined samples of Kareish, Damietta, Ras and processed cheese, respectively. Species belonging to the genera Aspergillus and Penicillium comprised the majority of mould isolates from all the 4 types of cheeses. The mycotoxigenicity of the isolated 24 strains of A. flavus and 15 strains of A. parasiticus was examined by a fluorescence technique (UV), and by thin-layer chromatography (TLC). By fluorescence technique, 15 and 8 strains of A. flavus and A. parasiticus, respectively, exhibited illumination under UV light, while only 11 and 6 isolates, respectively, gave positive results on using TLC, all of which from the illuminating group.

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