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Mycoflora and toxigenic Aspergillus flavus in Spanish milks
1Departamento de Bromatología y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Universidad de Córdoba, Facultad de Veterinaria, Spain.
Abstract:
The isolation, enumeration and identification of moulds were carried out on 64 samples of raw milk and 33 of pasteurized milk. The genera most frequently isolated in the raw milk were: Geotrichum (76.5%), Fusarium (45.3%), and Aspergillus (31.2%). In pasteurized milk they were: Aspergillus (61.5%) followed by Fusarium and Penicillium (37.7% in both cases). A. flavus was found in 12 samples and 1 out of the strains examined produced aflatoxins in vitro. The effect of pasteurization of the milk on spores of A. parasiticus NRRL-2999 was examined. The presence of moulds in pasteurized milk seems to be explained by contamination during bottling.
Insights
Moulds like Aspergillus and Fusarium are common in raw and pasteurized milk. Contamination during bottling likely explains mould presence in pasteurized milk, with one Aspergillus flavus strain producing aflatoxins.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Food Science
- Mycology
Background:
- Mould contamination in milk poses a potential risk to food safety and quality.
- Understanding the prevalence of specific mould genera in raw and pasteurized milk is crucial for quality control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To isolate, enumerate, and identify mould genera in raw and pasteurized milk samples.
- To assess the potential for aflatoxin production by isolated Aspergillus strains.
- To investigate the effect of pasteurization on Aspergillus parasiticus spores.
Main Methods:
- Microbiological analysis of 64 raw milk and 33 pasteurized milk samples.
- Isolation and identification of mould genera using standard mycological techniques.
- In vitro testing of Aspergillus flavus strains for aflatoxin production.
Main Results:
- Geotrichum, Fusarium, and Aspergillus were the most frequent genera in raw milk.
- Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Penicillium were prevalent in pasteurized milk.
- One Aspergillus flavus isolate produced aflatoxins in vitro; pasteurization affected A. parasiticus spores.
Conclusions:
- Mould contamination is present in both raw and pasteurized milk, with distinct genera dominating each type.
- Post-pasteurization contamination, likely during bottling, is a significant source of mould in pasteurized milk.
- The potential for aflatoxin production by certain mould strains necessitates ongoing monitoring and control measures.