Premium
A Fluorescent Lectin Test for Mold in Raw Tomato Juice
Author(s) -
Potts S.J.,
Slaughter D.C.,
Thompson J.F.
Publication year - 2000
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.1365-2621.2000.tb16005.x
Subject(s) - mold , lectin , alternaria alternata , food science , cladosporium , fusarium oxysporum , alternaria , chemistry , biology , horticulture , botany , penicillium , biochemistry
Fungal (mold) contamination is an important indicator of low quality raw product in the processing tomato industry. A quantitative lectin assay was developed that was less expensive, faster, and more precise than the industry standard Howard mold count. This assay, based on a fluorescent‐labeled lectin isolated from wheat germ, had a selective affinity for the chitin in fungal cell walls. Assay values were correlated with mold contamination for 4 fungal species: Alternaria alternata (r 2 = 0.91), Cladosporium herbarum (r 2 = 0.75), Fusarium oxysporum (r 2 = 0.97), and Stemphylium botryosum (r 2 = 0.99). Combining all 4 species, the lectin assay had a strong correlation (r 2 = 0.76) with a linearized Howard mold count.