Valutazione della capacità tossigena di aspergillus e penicillium isolati da prodotti lattiero-caseari

All of 58 Aspergillus e Penicillium mould strains isolated from dairy products collected in Southern Italy, have been analysed for mycotoxin production ability on synthetic media (CYA and YES) by rapid tests on agar cultures and chromatographic analysis of methanolic extracts. The results showed that the 72% of strains produced cyclopiazonic acid, mycophenolic acid, patulin, penitrem A, PR toxin, roquefortin C, sterigmatocystin. The highest number of strains (42%) produced cyclopiazonic acid, 20% mycophenolic acid and 12% sterigmatocystin. These toxigenic fungi were isolated mainly from ripe cheese samples made with sheep milk. A. versicolor (100%), P. camemberti (75%) and P. commune (56%) resulted the major producers of cyclopiazonic acid. Artemia salina bioassay has been carried out in order to evaluate the toxicity of methanolic extracts; P. commune and P. crustosum have shown a high toxicity probably related to the occurrence of penitrem A. A correlation between the concentration of sterigmatocystin and cyclopiazonic acid to the toxicity of methanolic extracts was found.