The mycotoxin profiles and
dominant mycoflora distribution
in foods and agricultural products
in Turkey
R.S. Topal
Yildiz Technical University, Science Institute – Bioengineering Division,
YTU Davutpasa Campus, Chemistry and Metallurgy Engineering Faculty,
Merter-Istanbul, Turkey
Keywords Tests and testing, Quality assessment, Contamination
Abstract More than 2,000 samples, representing 73 different kinds of Turkish foodstuffs and
agricultural products, were analysed for total mould flora. The samples were collected from nine
different agricultural regions and from 34 different cities of Turkey. A total of 1,977 isolates,
representing 1,317 species and 40 different genera, were scanned for mycotoxin-producing
activities, using 31 different mycotoxin standards. Qualitative screening indicated 32.5 per cent of
the cultures were able to produce mycotoxin, with 19 different types of mycotoxins identified.
Dominant mould isolates varied by region. The dominant mycotoxins, respectively, were
“roquefortin C” and “sterigmatocystin”. The extent of contamination was also determined and a
mycotoxin risk profile was constructed for each agricultural region of Turkey.
1. Introduction
Moulds can produce mycotoxins as secondary metabolites, which can be hazardous:
including health, loss of quality and economic risks. Mycotoxins can cause acute and
chronic problems and possess carcinogenic, teratogenic, tremorgenic, hemorrhagic,
dermatitic, hepatoxic, nephrotoxic, and neurotoxic properties, as well as being
potentially fatal (Beuchat, 1981). They can contaminate foods directly during
harvesting, and develop in the growing stage or after processing and during storage.
Additionally, animals can transfer toxin risks to consumers during the feeding or
growing stages of their natural life cycle (Beuchat, 1981) and mycotoxin synthesis can
change during processing. Mycological problems vary by country, ecological regions
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The experimental part of this project was conducted at Tu
¨
bitak-Marmara Research Center
(MRC), and system analysing at Yildiz Technical University Department of Computer Sciences
and Engineering. Participants and researchers were: Organizing Mycolog and Project Manager:
R. S¸eminur Topal (Prof. Dr); Contributing Mycolog: N. Aran (Prof. Dr), she has contributed 403
mould isolates to the collection and conducted some part of the mycotoxin studies in the early
stage of this project; Other researcher: C. Pembeci (Biolog.) project group from TU
¨
BI
˙
TAK –
MRC, Food Science and Tech. Institute; Technicians: I. Kelebek, N. Uygun, A. Tanlasi, B. Cirak,
Z. Karabulut, M. Pak, and E. Go
¨
zu
¨
m, project group from TU
¨
BI
˙
TAK – MRC, Food Science and
Tech. Institute; System analysist, programmer: Dr E. Karsligil and A. Buharali, Yildiz Technical
University, Engineering Faculty – Computer Science and Engineering Department. With my
deepest thanks to all participants and all team members for their efforts. And also my deepest
thanks to Prof. Dr David Crowther (Metropolitan University, London), for his kind collaboration
for correction of my English.
BFJ
106,7
494
British Food Journal
Vol. 106 No. 7, 2004
pp. 494-511
q Emerald Group Publishing Limited
0007-070X
DOI 10.1108/00070700410545700