Spices Mycobiota and Mycotoxins Available in Saudi Arabia and Their Abilities to Inhibit Growth of Some Toxigenic Fungi

The prevalence and population density of the mycobiota of 50 samples belonging to 10 kinds of spices (anise, black pepper, red pepper, black cumin, peppermint, cardamom, clove, cumin, ginger and marjoram) which collected from different places in Jeddah Governorate were studied. The natural occurrence of mycotoxins in those samples was also investigated. Fifteen genera and thirty - one species of fungi in addition to one species variety were isolated and identified during this study. The most common genera were Aspergillus, Penicillium and Fusarium. Aflatoxins (12~40 microg/kg) were detected in the extract of 5 samples of each of anise seeds and black pepper fruits; three samples of black cumin seeds and on sample only of each of peppermint and marjoram leaves out of 5 samples tested of each. Sterigmatocystin (15~20 microg/kg) was detected in some samples of red pepper, cumin and marjoram. The inhibitory effects of 10 kinds of powdered spices were tested against 3 toxigenic isolates of fungi (Aspergillus flavus, A. versicolor and Penicillium citrinum). Clove proved to be antimycotic compounds. It inhibited the growth of the tested toxigenic fungi. Black pepper, peppermint, cardamom, cumin and marjoram completely inhibited aflatoxins production, while black pepper and cardamom also completely inhibited sterigmatocystin production.

Determination of aflatoxin m1 in powdered milk consumed by infants in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia using three methods

Thirty one samples of infant powdered milk formula marketed in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia were collected from different pharmacies and supermarkets then screened for aflatoxin M1 using three different techniques including thin layer chromatography, high performance liquid chromatography, and radioimmunoassay. These methods showed various results. Aflatoxin M1 was not detected in the samples by radioimmunoassay procedure while both thin layer chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography showed positive results. Aflatoxin M1 was detected in nine samples. Twenty two% of the positive samples recorded high levels of aflatoxin M1. The levels detected by the high performance liquid chromatography ranged from 67.7 to 173.0 ng/kg