Mycobiota and aflatoxin (B1 and B2) contamination of apricot kernels (Prunus armeniaca L.) from Jammu and Kashmir, India

Abstract

The aim of the present work was to assess the mycoflora and evaluate the aflatoxin contamination in apricot kernels from Jammu and Kashmir. A total of 83 samples collected from different regions of Jammu province were analysed for the mycoflora by different isolation techniques. Twenty nine fungal species belonging to 16 genera were recorded from these samples during mycoflora analysis. Species of Aspergillus were found to be the most frequent colonizers followed by the Penicillium among all the recorded moulds. In view of the predominance of Aspergillus flavus, a known producer of aflatoxins, screening of 83 contaminated samples was carried out for total aflatoxin levels using thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Out of these, 20 samples detected positive for aflatoxin B1 and B2 and the level of contamination ranged from 72.43-216.88µg/g and 0.11-235.32µg/g respectively which exceeds the tolerance limit of 20µg/g set by World Health Organization. The present study constitutes the first report on the incidence of mycoflora and aflatoxin contamination in dried apricot kernels from the markets of Jammu and Kashmir.