Abstract

In this study a wide range of moulds representing several genera and species was recorded. Ten samples of each pure and salted (almond, cashewnut, hazelnut, Peanut and pistachio) were collected from different markets (Shekhalla, Tayrawa and Qaysari) in Erbil city, Iraq. High infection of fungal genera was found in pure samples, while low infection was found in salted nut products samples, application of nuts with salts was found to increase the resistance of nuts to invasion and colonization by the fungi during storage. The total counts of fungi were 138×10³ cfu/g. Samples by dilution method and represented twelve genera and twenty species of fungi by all method. Detection of Mycotoxin on Dichloran Rose Bengal Chloramphincol Agar (DRBC) for fungal isolation from nut samples showed, A. flavus, A. fumigatus, A. niger and A. ochraceous, positive results on the culture for mycotoxin production, change in colony diameter and color change in compare with control Czapek Dox Agar (CDA). Estimation of natural occurrence of Aflatoxin (AT) and Ochratoxin (OT) in nut product samples by using ELISA method, the results show low AF and OT content in most samples which is lower than the normal rang for human consumption. The high results of aflatoxin and ochratoxin show in peanut while the low results show in cashewnut.

Keywords:

Almond, Aspergillus, cashew nut, ELIZA, mycotoxins, peanut, Penicillium,

References

Competing interests

The authors have no competing interests.

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The authors have no competing interests.