MOLD CONTENT OF COMMERCIAL POPCORN

Internal mold infection levels for microwave yellow popcorn, nonmicrow ave white popcorn, nonmicrowave yellow popcorn and specialty popcorn w ere determined by direct plating of kernels on Dichloran-rose bengal-c hloramphenicol agar (DRBC), Dichloran-18% glycerol agar (DG-18), Asper gillus flavus/parasiticus agar (AFPA) and Czapek's iprodione agar (CZI D). The total percentage of mold-infected kernels was low in microwave yellow popcorn (5.9%) and nonmicrowave yellow popcorn (7.3%), but som ewhat higher in specialty popcorn (13.6%) and nonmicrowave white popco rn (15.1%). Of the molds found, Fusarium species predominated in the m icrowave yellow popcorn (54.2%) and nonmicrowave white popcorn (66.2%) , whereas Aspergillus species predominated in the nonmicrowave yellow popcorn (43.8%) and specialty popcorn (52.9%). Of the Fusarium species isolated, F. moniliforme was the predominant species in all types of popcorn including microwave yellow (70.4%), nonmicrowave white (70.4%) , nonmicrowave yellow (72.3%) and specialty popcorn (85.7%). Other Fus arium species found were F. proliferatum, F. semitectum, F. subglutina ns, F. anthophilum, and F. graminearum. The presence of the Aspergillu s flavus-parasiticus group was negligible in the popcorn samples evalu ated. No significant differences were found among media in enumerating total mold infection levels. DG-18 was found to be effective in enume rating Aspergillus species, but ineffective in enumerating Fusarium sp ecies from popcorn. No significant differences were found among other media in enumerating Aspergillus and Fusarium species.