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DETERMINATION OF THE POTENTIAL FOR MYCOTOXIN CONTAMINATION OF PASTA PRODUCTS
Author(s) -
STOLOFF LEONARD,
TRUCKSESS MARY,
ANDERSON PERRY W.,
GLABE ELMER F.,
ALDRIDGE JAMES G.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
journal of food science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1750-3841
pISSN - 0022-1147
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2621.1978.tb09778.x
Subject(s) - aflatoxin , citrinin , mycotoxin , patulin , sterigmatocystin , food science , mold , aspergillus flavus , chemistry , contamination , penicillium citrinum , biology , botany , ecology
Freshly extruded macaroni and noodle doughs, dusted with flour to which spores of the toxigenic molds Aspergillus flavus, A. clavatus, A. versicolor, Penicillium urticae, P. cyclopium and P. citrinum had been added, were held at temperature‐humidity combinations [30, 35,40°C and 85, 90, 95% relative humidity (RH)] expected to simulate conditions that might prevail in a fully loaded pasta drier shut down by a power failure. A sour odor at the highest RH (95%) suggested initial bacterial action. Mold growth was observed on all products under all conditions; the extent of growth after 5 days was directly related to both temperature and RH. Under all conditions, A. flavus was the dominant mold; of the mycotoxins (aflatoxins, sterigmatocystin, patulin, penicillic acid, citrinin) expected from the species included in the inoculum, only aflatoxins were detected. At the selected condition of 30°C and 95% RH, mold growth was evident after 24 hr and aflatoxins could be detected after 48 hr. The level of aflatoxins was low for the extent of mold growth observed, probably as a result of the presence of the mixed culture. Because of the souring and obvious mold growth, none of the pasta could be considered usable even before aflatoxin was detected. When the aflatoxin‐contaminated pasta was cooked 10 min in boiling water, approximately 1/3 of the aflatoxin was found in the water. Based on these studies and the rarity of encountering aflatoxin in wheat, the possibility of finding aflatoxin in commercial pasta products is highly remote.