Distribution of Fungi Producing Toxins on Plant - Origin Food Stock and Products

Albinas Lugauskas, Jiirate Repeckiene, Jurgita Stakeniene Institute of Botany, ZalitU4. ezer4. St. 47, LT-2021 Vilnius, Lithuania, e-mail: [email protected]. [email protected] The diversity of fungi species spread on food products grown and processed under various ecological conditions were estimated during the researches carried out in 1998-2003. Fungi were isolated and identified from grain, seed, vegetables, fruit and other plant-origin products grown in Lithuania and imported from 24 countries. Fungi distribution in various premises of storing, selling and processing was revealed. 312 species of fungi ascribed to 102 genera were isolated and identified out of the investigated plant-origin food products stored and processed in different premises. Majority of the isolated fungal species belonged to genera: Penicillium (45,4%), Aspergillus (10,8%), Fusarium (3,6%), Mucor (3,5%), and Rhizopus (3,2%). Potentially toxic fungal species prevailed on plant-origin food products: Penicillium expansum (detection frequency 13,2%), Aspergillus niger (12,8%), P. granulatum (8,8%), P. claviforme (6,0%), P. spinulosum (5 ,6%). The total number of identified fungal species correlated with the number of toxic species (R = 0,92) and with the variety of investigated products (R = 0,81). Efficiency of 7 standard fungicidal preparations to reduce the contamination of food product storage premises with fungal propagules was evaluated.