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Characterization of Nonaflatoxigenic Aspergillus flavus/oryzae Strains Isolated from Korean Traditional Soybean Meju

Sang-Cheol Jun1, Yu-Kyung Kim1, Kap-Hoon Han1

  • 1Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Woosuk University, Wanju, Republic of Korea.

Mycobiology
|February 1, 2023
PubMed

Insights

This study identified Aspergillus flavus/oryzae strains in Korean fermented meju, finding no mycotoxins. These strains showed potential for use as starter cultures in soybean fermentation due to their enzyme activities.

Area of Science:

  • Food microbiology
  • Mycology
  • Fermentation science

Background:

  • Traditionally fermented foods like meju are integral to Korean cuisine.
  • Microbial analysis of fermented products is crucial for safety and quality assessment.
  • Aspergillus flavus/oryzae are common fungi in fermented foods, with some strains capable of producing mycotoxins.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To isolate and characterize Aspergillus flavus/oryzae strains from commercial Korean meju.
  • To assess the mycotoxin contamination (aflatoxin B1, ochratoxin A) in meju samples.
  • To evaluate the safety and potential application of isolated strains as starter cultures.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation and identification of filamentous fungi using morphological analysis and ITS sequencing.
  • High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for mycotoxin detection.
  • Metagenomic sequencing for microbial community analysis.
  • PCR analysis of aflatoxin gene cluster (AGC) breaking points.
  • Enzyme activity assays (amylase, peptidase, lipase).

Main Results:

  • No aflatoxin B1 or ochratoxin A was detected in the meju samples.
  • 32 Aspergillus flavus/oryzae strains were identified, with varying AGC breaking point patterns.
  • Isolated strains exhibited higher peptidase and lipase activities compared to commercial koji strains.
  • Fungal and bacterial distribution varied significantly based on meju origin and fermentation conditions.

Conclusions:

  • The analyzed meju samples are safe from aflatoxin B1 and ochratoxin A contamination.
  • The identified Aspergillus flavus/oryzae strains possess desirable enzyme activities, suggesting their potential as starter molds for soybean fermentation.
  • Understanding microbial diversity is key to optimizing fermentation processes and ensuring food safety.
Keywords:
AflatoxinAspergillus flavusAspergillus oryzaefermentationmeju

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