INHIBITION OF AFLATOXIN PRODUTION BY ASPERGILLUS FLAVUS USING LOW LEVEL Y - IRRADIATION

Abstract

Effects o f s e l ected l ow l evel doses of y - Rad iation (100-400 K rad) on t he abi l ity o f toxin strain o f Asperg i l l us flavus t o survive and pr oduce a f latox in in c ul t ure med ium and p is tachio nuts hav e been s tudied . A reduction of 60 per c e nt in growth and spore production by Asperg i l l us flavus in c u l ture me di um was observed after treatment wi th 100 K rad of y - Radiation .
In spore inoculated pistachio nuts , 100 K rad o f y Radi a tion reduced the a f la toxin B l and G l nroduction by 75% aft er e i ght week s s t orage per iod . The afla toxin prod~ ction ability by Aspergillus f lavus on pistachio nuts was affectively eliminated by t he treatment o f spore inoculated pist achio nuts wi th 200 K rad of y-Radiation , although very l itt le growth coul d be detected after eight weeks ' storage of 40 0 K rad y-irradiated pistachio nuts.