PRODUCTION AND STABILITY OF AFLATOXINS, PENICILLIC ACID AND PATULIN lN SEVERAL SUBSTRATES

Abstract

ABSTRACTAflatoxins B1 and G1, penicillic acid and patulin were each added to Swiss cheese, bologna and cooked cornmeal. The samples were stored at 5°C for 15 min and 3, 12, 24, 48, 120 and 168 hr before extraction and recovery of the added toxins. Aflatoxins B1 and G1 were stable in the foods during the entire storage period. Patulin and penicillic acid, on the other hand, were undetectable in bologna after 12 and 48 hr storage, respectively. In Swiss cheese, after 168 hr of storage at 5°C, 8% of the original penicillic acid remained. With cooked cornmeal, about 80% of the patulin and peniciuic acid were detected after 168 hr of storage at 5°C. Growth and experimental toxin production on Swiss cheese, Mozzarella cheese, bologna, bacon, cooked cornmeal, and English muffins were studied by using known toxinogenic strains of Aspergillus flavis, Penicillium patulum and a Penicillium sp. incubated at 5, 12 and 25°C for 6, 4 and 2 wk respectively. No growth of A. flaws or aflatoxin production was observed at 5 and 12°C on any substrate, but at 25°C, growth and aflatoxin production occurred on Swiss cheese, bologna, cooked cornmeal, Mozzarella cheese and bacon. Patulin and penicillic acid were produced in cooked cornmeal at all three temperatures. No patulin or penicillic acid was found in the other food substrates, except for a small amount of penicillic acid in one of the English muffin samples at 5°C, even though the molds grew extensively on all substrates at all three temperatures.