COMPOSITION AND TOXIGENIC POTENTIAL OF THE MOLD POPULATION ON DRY-CURED IBERIAN HAM

The fungal population on dry-cured Iberian ham can be essential to the development of the product's unique characteristics, but health hazar ds due to mycotoxins may be significant. We examined the natural funga l population of Iberian hams during ripening at three different locati ons. Chloroform extracts from 59 selected isolates were tested for tox icity to brine shrimp larvae and VERO cells, for mutagenicity in the A mes test and for antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. The diversity of moulds increased during ripening. Penicillium commun e, Penicillium chrysogenum, Penicillium aurantiogriseum, Penicillium e xpansum and Penicillium echinulatum dominated most of the ripening tim e; however, the Eurotium species, particularly E. herbariorum and E. r epens, increased in the final product. Using the above tests, most mou lds were toxigenic. The toxigenic potential of the fungal population i ncreased as the processing progressed. To minimize health hazards from uncontrolled fungal populations; we identified non toxigenic strains of Penicillium chrysogenum that could be used as starters in dry-cured hams.