Fungi and Mycotoxins Associated with Egyptian Sorghum Grains

Abstract

The aim of the present work was to study the infected fungi and the mycotoxins contamination in Egyptian sorghum grains collected from different governorates. Forty eight sorghum grain samples were collected from six governorates (Cairo, Kaliobia, Gharbia, Alexandaria, Assute, and Sohage). Isolation and identification of fungi and the determination of mycotoxins (i.e. Aflatoxins Afs and Fumonisin FB1) were carried out. The results revealed that all samples were infected with at least one of fungi species. Nineteen fungi species belonging to five genera were isolated and identified from the investigated sorghum grain samples. Moreover, the result indicated that samples collected from Assute governorate were found to be more infected compared with the other governorates, meanwhile; samples collected from Kaliobia were found to be the lesser infected. All Aspergellus parasiticus and Fusarium moniliform isolated from sorghum grains were found to have the ability to produce Afs and FB1. In the same respect, results showed that aflatoxins were detected in 33.3 % (16 out of 48) of the investigated samples with levels ranged from 0.17µg/kg to 499µg/kg, while FB1 was detected in 16.6 % (8 out of 48) of investigated samples with levels ranged from 7.2 to 129.5µg/kg. It is worthy to mention that the contamination levels of the investigated samples with aflatoxins were found below the Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) established by International agencies or by the Egyptian standards.