FUNGAL FLORA AND AFLATOXIN LEVELS IN FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
Fruits and vegetables are the main organic substrates, which allow the development and sporulation of fungi in the agriculture markets. This work consisted of characterizing the fungal flora and evaluating the levels of total aflatoxins, through the washed and unwashed treatment in fresh fruits (orange, guava) and vegetables (cabbage, tomato). This study was carried out in two supermarkets in the district of Chitré, province of Herrera. The isolation of fungi was carried out in 128 samples, in a period of one month. The results of the analyzed samples revealed a high presence of the Aspergillus niger fungus, which presented 58% of the total compared to the other observed fungi, followed by Aspergillus ochraceus with 18%, Aspergillus flavus with 7%, A. versicolor with 6%, A. sclerotium with 5%, Alternaria sp. with 4% and Rhizopus sp. with 2%. Total aflatoxins detection was performed using ELISA, this being a competitive enzyme immunoassay, where the aflatoxin levels of the processed samples were analyzed by treatment. The results of each evaluated product mostly comply with the three international standards, except for guava that exceeded the permissible levels of 4ppb for the EU. The highest fungal growth occurred in supermarket A, for guava product under washing treatment. Similarly, for total aflatoxins, guava was the product with the highest concentration. Aspergillus niger evidenced the fastest fungi growth.
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Digital revista |
| Language: | spa |
| Published: |
Instituto de Innovación Agropecuaria de Panamá
2023
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| Online Access: | http://www.revistacienciaagropecuaria.ac.pa/index.php/ciencia-agropecuaria/article/view/606 |
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