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PCR-based Identification of Aflatoxigenic Fungi Associated with Iranian Saffron  

Noorbakhsh, Reihaneh (Department of Food Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad)
Bahrami, Ahmad Reza (Cellular and Molecular Research Group, Institute of Biotechnology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad)
Mortazavi, Seyed Ali (Department of Food Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad)
Forghani, Bita (Cellular and Molecular Research Group, Institute of Biotechnology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad)
Bahreini, Maesoomeh (Department of Biology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad)
Publication Information
Food Science and Biotechnology / v.18, no.4, 2009 , pp. 1038-1041 More about this Journal
Abstract
Aflatoxins are secondary metabolites produced by the aflatoxigenic fungi in suitable conditions. Saffron, Crocus sativus, is the most expensive spice in the world. Saffron is normally contaminated with soil and hand microflora during harvest and post-harvest operations. In this study, rapid assessment of aflatoxigenic fungi in saffron was accomplished using polymerase chain reaction. In total, 37 market samples were assayed in order to isolate aflatoxin-producing fungi. The 18.9% of the total samples were contaminated with aflatoxigenic fungi. Our results also show that most of the isolated fungi were saprophytes which are normally originated from soil during harvest and postharvest process.
Keywords
saffron; Crocus sativus; spice; aflatoxigenic fungi; polymerase chain reaction;
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