MYCOFLORA AND FUMONISIN-PRODUCING STRAINS OF FUSARIUM-MONILIFORME IN MIXED POULTRY FEEDS AND COMPONENT RAW-MATERIAL

In a survey of the mycoflora and mycotoxins in foods and feeds, 66 sam ples of mixed poultry feeds and some component raw materials were inve stigated. Fungal counts ranged from <10(2) to 1.3 x 10(6) CFU/g. Fusar ium spp. counts ranged from 10(2) to 1.0 x 10(6) CFU/g. The Fusarium s pp. strains isolated were screened for their potential to produce fumo nisin B-1 (FB1) and fumonisin B-2 (FB2) in maize cultures. Samples and maize cultures were analysed for FB1 and FB2 using TLC and fluorescam ine-derivative HPLC. No fumonisins were detected in the samples (<6 pp m). Fusarium moniliforme was isolated in 59.1% of samples, and 97.4% o f the strains produced FB1 and 79.4% of strains produced FB2 in maize cultures. Some isolates produced higher FB1 and FB2 levels than the re ference strain F. moniliforme MRC 826.