Pathogen producing aflatoxin in contaminated sandwich: Identification and preservation

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Mycology
• Food Safety

Background:

• Aflatoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by certain fungi, posing significant health risks.
• The specific fungal strain responsible for aflatoxin contamination in sandwiches remained unidentified prior to this research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To isolate and identify fungi from contaminated sandwiches.
• To quantify aflatoxin levels produced by identified fungal strains.
• To evaluate the efficacy of ethanol spray in preventing aflatoxin production and extending sandwich shelf-life.

Main Methods:

• Fungal isolation and identification from sandwich samples.
• Quantification of Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) using analytical methods.
• Microbial enumeration (Colony-Forming Unit/g).
• Application of varying concentrations of ethanol spray for preservation studies.

Main Results:

• Aspergillus flavus was identified as the causative agent of aflatoxin production.
• Sandwiches inoculated with pure A. flavus showed high AFB1 levels (55.2 ng/g) and spore counts (2 x 10^6 CFU/g) after 10 days.
• Unspecified fungi resulted in lower AFB1 (16.21 ng/g) and spore counts (2.2 x 10^2 CFU/g).
• A 70% ethanol spray at 2.0% of sandwich weight significantly inhibited A. flavus growth and prevented aflatoxin detection, extending preservation sevenfold.

Conclusions:

• Aspergillus flavus is a key contributor to aflatoxin contamination in sandwiches.
• Ethanol spray presents a viable method for controlling aflatoxin production and enhancing food preservation.
• Further research into optimized ethanol application for food safety is warranted.