Fungos e micotoxinas em farinha de mandioca da região Amazônica

Abstract

Filamentous fungi are organisms with the ability to produce various secondary metabolites, among them, mycotoxins, characterized by the toxic properties that have the human and animal organism. Are produced mostly by species of the genera Aspergillus and Penicillium, by engaging with relevant food contamination and mycotoxin production. The study aimed to identify the mycoflora and mycotoxins in samples of cassava produced in TNL in the Amazon region, Brazil flour. 30 samples of cassava flour in the local market and evaluated for moisture and water activity (aw), fungi (isolation, purification and identification by traditional taxonomy) and mycotoxins were collected. Confirmation of toxigenic fungal species was made by molecular biology, scanning electron microscopy was performed in three toxigenic species and mycotoxins were identified by MALDI-TOF. The results of moisture and (aw) ranging from 7.08 to 13.55% and 0.37 to 0.69 respectively. Among the samples analyzed, 30% had fungi and of these 18.5% were toxigenic. The species most frequently identified were Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium waksmanii and Penicillium citrinum. Among the toxigenic fungi Penicillium citrinum, Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus amoenus were found. MALDI-TOF showed the presence of aflatoxin B1, patulin and citrinana more frequently. We conclude that greater attention to cassava flour, one of the most consumed foods in the north of the country is needed as toxigenic fungi and mycotoxins were found in the samples analyzed.