The Aflatoxins: Evolution, Function and Prospects for Control

The major mycotoxin problem in Australia is the formation of aflatoxins in peanuts by Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus. This is controlled by good farm management practice, segregation into grades on aflatoxin content at intake to shelling facilities, colour sorting and aflatoxin assays. A second problem is the potential presence of ochratoxin A in grapes and grape products, resulting from infection by Aspergillus carbonarius. Good quality control before and during wine making ensures ochratoxin A is kept to very low levels, but in dried vine fruit, ochratoxin A levels may be higher. Biocontrol by competitive exclusion has been developed as the most promising means of controlling aflatoxins in peanuts. Some details of the process are given, including some basic laboratory experiments.

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Mycotoxins in Australia: biocontrol of aflatoxin in peanuts

Pitt

Hocking

2006

Mycopathologia

111

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Biodiversity ofAspergillussectionFlaviin the United States: A review

Horn

2007

Food Additives and Contaminants

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Fungi belonging to Aspergillus section Flavi are of great economic importance in the United States due to their ability to produce toxic and carcinogenic aflatoxins in agricultural commodities. Development of control strategies against A. flavus and A. parasiticus, the major aflatoxin-producing species, is dependent upon a basic understanding of their diversity in agricultural ecosystems. This review summarizes our current knowledge of species and population diversity in the United States in relation to morphology, mycotoxin production and genetic characters. The high genetic diversity in populations of aflatoxigenic fungi is a reflection of their versatile habits in nature, which include saprotrophic colonization of plant debris in soil and parasitism of seeds and grain. Genetic variation within populations may originate from a cryptic sexual state. The advent of intensive monoculture agriculture not only increases population size but also may introduce positive selective pressure for aflatoxin production due to its link with pathogenicity in crops. Important goals in population research are to determine how section Flavi diversity in agricultural ecosystems is changing and to measure the direction of this evolution.

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The Aflatoxins: Evolution, Function and Prospects for Control

Cited by 2 publications

References 60 publications

Mycotoxins in Australia: biocontrol of aflatoxin in peanuts

Mycotoxins in Australia: biocontrol of aflatoxin in peanuts

Biodiversity ofAspergillussectionFlaviin the United States: A review

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