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Aflatoxin and aflatoxicosis

I. Fungal flora of some food and animal feeds with special references to aflatoxin-producing abilities

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Abstract

A wide range of fungi, amounting to fifty-six species belonging to twenty-two genera, have been recovered from animal feeds and foodstuffs.

The most frequent fungi were Aspergillus niger, and A. flavus, followed by Mucor racemosus, Alternaria alternata, Rhizopus stolonifer, Penicillium corylophilum and P. notatum. Three genera were found to be of moderate occurrence, namely, Mucor, Rhizopus and Alternaria. The three following genera were of low occurrence: Cladosporium, Fusarium, and Neurospora.

The fluorescence method of detecting aflatoxin-producing strains demonstrated that only one isolate of A. flavus possesses this property. Certain species of Penicillium and Aspergillus produced fluorescent substances (metabolites) similar in color to B and G aflatoxin. These substances were subsequently proved not to be aflatoxin by (TLC) chromatography.

The animal and public health significance from such toxins was also discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt

    H. M. Abdel-Fattah & S. E. Megalla

  2. Department of Hygiene and Food control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt

    Y. Y. Kamel & A. H. Hafez

Authors
  1. H. M. Abdel-Fattah
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  2. Y. Y. Kamel
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  3. S. E. Megalla
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  4. A. H. Hafez
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Abdel-Fattah, H.M., Kamel, Y.Y., Megalla, S.E. et al. Aflatoxin and aflatoxicosis. Mycopathologia 77, 129–135 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00518796

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