title: Relationship of mould count, ergosterol and ochratoxin A production.
abstract: The relationship between viable mould count, ergosterol content and ochratoxin A (OA) formation was studied at different inoculum concentrations of Aspergillus ochraceus NRRL 3174 and Penicillium verrucosum NRRL 3260 grown on sterile long-grain enriched white rice as the substrate. Ergosterol was determined by extraction, saponification and quantification using high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) with UV detection. Ergosterol and ochratoxin A were detected after 3 days of incubation and reached their maximum at 7-10 days of incubation. After that, a decline in the concentrations in both ergosterol and ochratoxin was observed. Ergosterol measurement by HPTLC appeared to be a useful method to detect fungal activity, which corresponded to ochratoxin production. Thus, the ergosterol assay may have a use as an early indicator of potential mycotoxin production.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 68583-0919, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Saxena
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Munimbazi
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Bullerman
mesh_terms: D001230:Aspergillus / Q000378:metabolism*; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000032:analysis; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004875:Ergosterol / Q000032:analysis*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis; D005516:Food Microbiology; D009793:Ochratoxins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012275:Oryza / Q000382:microbiology*; D010407:Penicillium / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens; D009793:Ochratoxins; C025589:ochratoxin A; D004875:Ergosterol