title: Mold contamination of untreated and roasted with salt nuts (walnuts, peanuts and pistachios) sold at markets of tabriz, iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nuts are one of the main consumed snacks worldwide and a significant component of Iranian's diet. Natural contamination of nuts with fungus is unavoidable and is a major challenge to nuts safety and quality.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this research was to study fungal contamination in commercially available nuts (pistachios, walnuts and peanuts) in the markets of Tabriz, Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  100 samples of 50 gr roasted with salt peanuts and pistachios and 300 samples of 50 gr pure pistachios, walnuts and peanuts were collected from different areas of the local markets. After initial preparation, the samples were cultured on Sabouraud's dextrose agar (SDA). 19 fungal isolates were identified.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results show that Aspergillus niger was the predominant mold among pure (44%) and roasted with salt (14%) nuts (P < 0/001). In addition, percentage of mycotoxigenic fungal contamination was 18% for roasted with salt nuts and 11% for pure samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The overall results of the analysed samples showed that the rate of fungal contamination in pure samples was higher than roasted with salt ones (P < 0.005). Results of the current survey could be useful for minimizing fungal contamination and can educate people about the dangers of mold in nuts.
authors.affiliation: Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Abdolhassan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kazemi
authors.affiliation: Nutritional Research Center, Faculty of Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ostadrahimi
authors.affiliation: Nutritional Research Center, Faculty of Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Fereshteh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ashrafnejad
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition, Faculty of Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Nafiseh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sargheini
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition, Faculty of Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mahdavi
authors.affiliation: Department of Health of Environment, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammadreza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Farshchian
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition, Faculty of Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Sepideh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mahluji
keywords: Aspergillus; Contamination; Fungi; Nuts