Abstract
Background and Objectives: Contamination of cereal commodities with mycotoxins represents a significant hazard to consumer health and has thus received increasing attention from food safety authorities and legislators. For trichothecenes, in particular, the imminent implementation of legislative limits has focused attention on ways to prevent entry of such mycotoxin contaminants into the food and feed chains. Various species of Fusarium genus are producer of different mycotoxins (nearly 70 toxins) that called Trichothecenes and T-2 Toxin, HT-2 Toxin, DON, NIV, NEO, DAS, FUS-X are the most important mycotoxins of this group. These mycotoxins can enter into the human food chain and cause primary and secondary mycotoxicosis in humans and animals. Also some of these mycotoxines have been used as biological weapons.
Materials and Methods: In this survey, contamination of some randomly collected agricultural products such as cucumber, aubergine, pea, apple, pear and tomato to trichothecenes producer Fusarium was investigated using dtrect microscopic examination and culture samples in specific media such as Sabouraud's Dextrose Agar(S) and S medium + Chloramphenicol (SC).
Results: From studied foodstuffs the following species of Fusarium mold were identified: F. lateritium var. ciceri, F. lateritium var. mori and F. oxysporum var. tuberose.
Conclusion: Regarding to the health problems resulted from mycotic contamination of nutritional products, the study calls for more attention of regional health and agricultural authorities and legislators.