Mould germination: data treatment and modelling.
Abstract The objectives of this study were i/ to examine germination data sets over a range of environmental conditions (water activity, temperature) for eight food spoilage moulds, ii/ to compare the ability of the Gompertz equation and logistic function to fit the experimental plots, iii/ to simulate germination by assessing various distributions of the latent period for germination amongst a population of spores. Data sets (percentage germination, P (%), versus time, t) of Aspergillus carbonarius, Aspergillus ochraceus, Fusarium verticillioides, Fusarium proliferatum, Gibberella zeae, Mucor racemosus, Penicillium chrysogenum and Penicillium verrucosum were analysed. No correlation, or re…
Mycobiota and co-occurrence of mycotoxins in Capsicum powder
This study aimed to: (1) determine the mycobiota of Capsicum powder samples, paying a special attention to the mycotoxigenic moulds; (2) evaluate the contamination levels of aflatoxins (AF), ochratoxin A (OTA), zearalenone (ZEA), deoxynivalenol (DON), T2 and HT2 toxins in those samples. Thirty-two samples were obtained through the methods of sampling established by the European Union legislation. Aspergillus and Eurotium were the most frequently found genera. Aspergillus section Nigri had the higher relative frequency in the samples, A. niger aggregate being the most representative group of this section. Other potentially mycotoxigenic Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillium species were foun…
Transfer of Fusarium mycotoxins from malt to boiled wort
Malting was simulated using two different batches of barley as raw material: a naturally contaminated batch and laboratory inoculated (with a deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEA) producing Fusarium graminearum strain) one. Up to three contamination levels were prepared, every process being carried out in triplicate. A significant washout effect on DON was observed by the end of the first water phase (between 22.4 and 34 % reduction) with an even more pronounced reduction (up to 75 % decrease) by the end of the steeping process. ZEA content remained almost unchanged (no significant difference between the initial and the final concentration). Germination was characterized by an increase…
Presence of trichothecenes and co-occurrence in cereal-based food from Catalonia (Spain)
The most important trichothecenes are HT-2 toxin (HT2) and T-2 toxin (T2) from type A and deoxynivalenol (DON) from type B. Thus, the aim of the current study was to assess the occurrence of these trichothecenes in the Catalonian market. 479 food samples were taken from the most susceptible to trichothecenes contamination and most commonly consumed in Catalonia commodities. DON, T2 and HT2 toxin were determined in breakfast cereals, snacks and pasta samples following extraction, clean-up, derivatization and finally analysis by GC–ECD. Moreover, these mycotoxins were determined in sliced bread, sweet corn and beer by LC–DAD. Our results showed that DON was the main trichothecene present in t…