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Aspergillus section Flavi and aflatoxins in Brazilian cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) and products

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Abstract

Aflatoxins are carcinogenic compounds produced by some species of Aspergillus, especially those belonging to Aspergillus section Flavi. Their occurrence in food may start in the field, in the post-harvest, or during storage due to inadequate handling and storage. Because cassava is a staple food for a high percentage of the Brazilian population, we evaluated the presence of aflatoxin-producing species in cassava tubers, cassava products (cassava flour, cassava starch, sour starch, and tapioca flour), and in soil samples collected from cassava fields. In addition, the levels of aflatoxin contamination in cassava products were quantified. A total of 101 samples were analyzed, and 45 strains of Aspergillus section Flavi were isolated. Among the identified species, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus arachidicola, Aspergillus novoparasiticus, and Aspergillus parasiticus were found. The majority of strains (73.3%) tested for their aflatoxin-producing ability in synthetic media was positive. Despite that, cassava and cassava products were essentially free of aflatoxins, and only one sample of cassava flour contained traces of AFB1 (0.35 μg/kg).

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Availability of data and material

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Funding

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) (Process 2018/25552–0; 2013/05414–8; J. J. Silva grant # 2018/25597–3), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico” (CNPq) (Process 305649/014–0), Fundação de Desenvolvimento de Pesquisa do Agronegócio (FUNDEPAG), and Coordenadoria de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal do Ensino Superior (CAPES).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Food Technology (Ital), Campinas, SP, Brazil

    L. T. Ono, J. J. Silva, L. M. Martins, B. T. Iamanaka & M. H. Taniwaki

  2. Paulista Agribusiness Technology Agency (APTA), Technological Development Center of Agribusinesses in Médio Paranapanema, Assis, SP, Brazil

    S. Doná

  3. Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, PR, Brazil

    M. H. P. Fungaro

  4. Microbial Screening Technologies, Smithfield, NSW, Australia

    J. I. Pitt

Authors
  1. L. T. Ono
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  2. J. J. Silva
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  3. S. Doná
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  4. L. M. Martins
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  5. B. T. Iamanaka
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  6. M. H. P. Fungaro
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  7. J. I. Pitt
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  8. M. H. Taniwaki
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. H. Taniwaki.

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The experiments comply with the current Brazilian laws.

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Ono, L.T., Silva, J.J., Doná, S. et al. Aspergillus section Flavi and aflatoxins in Brazilian cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) and products. Mycotoxin Res 37, 221–228 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12550-021-00430-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12550-021-00430-2

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