Abstract
Mycotoxigenic fungi and relative mycotoxins contamination were monitored in Italian paddy rice samples both in field during the growing season and the first five months of storage. Three experimental fields, nine rice varieties and three sowing densities were considered; then, different lots of paddy rice were stored in warehouses at different temperature regimes. Fusarium spp. and Aspergillus spp. were found to be the fungi most likely to produce mycotoxins throughout the growing season. In particular, A. flavus and A. niger were found only rarely both in field and in post-harvest, while A. versicolor was always present although in low concentrations. Penicillium spp. strains were isolated sporadically and were found to be irrelevant in Italian rice fungal contamination. Sterigmatocystin (STC) was the main mycotoxin found in Italian rice, while aflatoxin (AFB1), deoxynivalenol (DON) and ochratoxin A (OTA) were rarely detected. Contamination generally increased from post-flowering to ripening; considering rice varieties, significant differences (p ≤ 0.01) were found in fungal contamination and STC production; no differences were observed between sowing densities. During storage, an increase in STC content was observed in higher temperature regimes, while all the other considered mycotoxins remained unchanged. These results indicated that contamination by STC, an emerging mycotoxin not legislatively regulated by the European Union, can be relevant in rice.
Highlights
Is the main rice producer in Europe, accounting for about 50% of the entire European production
This is in contrast with studies conducted in other areas; in tropical countries, for example, A. flavus seems to be the main fungus for rice grains with high contaminations both in field and in post-harvest [2,7]
This is probably due to the high temperatures and high relative humidity recorded throughout the year in these countries, conditions that are quite different from the areas where rice is cultivated in Italy
Summary
Is the main rice producer in Europe, accounting for about 50% of the entire European production. Rice cultivation is mostly located in Northern Italy (Piedmont, Lombardy and Veneto), where water is relatively abundant and the rice crop can be cultivated in flooded fields; in 2018, the area dedicated to rice growing covered about 217,000 hectares ha and rice production amounted to nearly 1,451,319 tons [1]. Like other cereals, can be subject to contamination by mycotoxins, both in field and during storage. Several studies have reported mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxin occurrence in rice; in particular Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillium Genera [2,3,4] with their possible related aflatoxins (AFs), ochratoxin A (OTA) and deoxynivalenol (DON) have often been investigated [5,6,7,8,9].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
