ABSTRACT
The level of toxigenic moulds and mycotoxins were analyzed in 62 samples of medicinal plant material and 11 herbal tea samples. The most predominant fungi detected were: Aspergillus, Penicillium, Mucor, Rhizopus, Absidia, Alternaria, Cladosporium and Trichoderma. Aspergillus flavus, a known producer of the aflatoxin mycotoxin, was present in 11 or 18% of the 62 medicinal plant samples and in 1 or 9% of the herbal tea samples. The medicinal plant samples, contaminated with A. flavus were also analyzed for the mycotoxins aflatoxin, ochratoxin and zearalenone; ochratoxin was found in one of the 7 samples analyzed. This study suggests that medicinal plant material and possibly herbal teas, if stored improperly allowing for mould growth, should be analyzed for mould and mycotoxin prior to use.
Subject(s)
Beverages/microbiology , Drug Contamination/statistics & numerical data , Mitosporic Fungi/isolation & purification , Mucorales/isolation & purification , Mycotoxins/analysis , Plants, Medicinal/microbiology , Aflatoxins/analysis , Artemisia/microbiology , Aspergillus/isolation & purification , Beverages/analysis , Chromatography, Thin Layer , Ochratoxins/analysis , Plants, Medicinal/chemistry , Zearalenone/analysisABSTRACT
This paper discusses the results of investigations of contamination with aflatoxin-producing fungi and aflatoxin B1 affecting 545 samples of wheat grains, 475 samples of intermediate products of wheat grain being milled to flour (like middlings) and 238 samples of flour. A significant contamination with moulds was detected in analyzed samples. Although Aspergillus (34.87%) and Penicillium (32.37%) dominated, other types were also present, e.g., Cladosporium, Fusarium, Mucor, Alternaria, Rhizopus, Absidia and Trichoderma (listed in order of frequency). The presence of Aspergillus flavus, the known aflatoxin producer, was detected in 9.94% of analyzed samples. Isolates of A. Flavus were capable of producing aflatoxin B1 under favourable conditions. Aflatoxin B1 was found in 76.8% of samples contaminated with A. flavus. The highest contamination with aflatoxin B1 was detected in wheat grain samples (mean value of 16.3 micrograms/kg) and in intermediate products of wheat grain being milled to flour (mean value of 11.13 micrograms/kg). Contamination was lower in flour samples (mean value of 4.13 micrograms/kg). With regard to proposed standards given by the FAO and WHO, under which the content of aflatoxin should not exceed 30 micrograms/kg in food products, only two of 96 samples did not meet these criteria.
