Author(s): Saeed Munassar Alghalibi, Mohammed Goma'a Battah, and Maysoon Abdulrahman Al-Zubairy
Article publication date: 2008-03-01
Vol. 26 No. 1/2 (yearly), pp. 41-48.
218
Keywords
dry raisin, fungi, Aspergillus flavus, aflatoxins, Yemen
Abstract
This study was designed to study the mycoflora and aflatoxin content of dry raisins in Yemen Republic. Thirty-six raisin samples collected from different shops and markets in Sana'a city were analyzed mycologically for the presence of fungi. A total of forty-eight species belonging to 20 genera were recovered from the analyzed raisins samples on three cultural media. Aspergillus was the most dominant genera on the three types of media, of which A. niger was the most common species. A.flavus was isolated in moderate, low and rare frequency on 1 % and 20% sucrose Czapek's and Sabouraud dextrose agar media. Penicillium was isolated in moderate frequency on 1 and 20% sucrose Czapek's agar media, but in low frequency on Sabouraud dextrose agar medium. The raisin samples were analyzed for the presence of total aflatoxin using ELISA technique. The results revealed that 3 out of 7 samples of raisins analyzed were contaminated with total aflatoxin at levels ranged from 2678.66 to 11556.88 ppt (ng Kg-1).