Isolation and Identification of fungal species from dried fruits in Sulaimani City, Kurdistan Region-Iraq.

Abstract

Dry fruits are the best source of minerals and vitamins and are essential for human health; they are exposed to microbial contamination at any stage of growth and processing. The current study aims to investigate and identify fungi associated with dried fruit available from local markets of Sulaimani City and also detect the aflatoxigenic strain of Aspergillus by various methods. Forty-eight samples of dried fruits were collected; the fungi were isolated by using the dilution plate method on dicloran rose bangle chloramphenicol agar medium. The isolated fungal species identified depend on morphological characters (macroscopic and microscopic features). Cultural (ammonium vapor and UV fluorescence); and molecular methods were used to detect the potential of aflatoxigenicity of Aspergillus spp. A total of (353 * 10 2 ) CFU/gm of dried fruit of fungal species were isolated, Aspergillus niger and Penicillium spp. are the predominant species isolated, and Aspergillus parasiticus was isolated on dry fig only; All of A. parasiticus isolates were toxigenic strains as indicated by cultural and molecular methods. In addition, some species of Penicillium and Aspergillus niger also produced ochratoxin. Therefore, the implementation of hygienic conditions is necessary during the process of harvesting, desiccating, and handling dry fruits.