INCIDENCE AND DETECTION OF THERMOTOLERANT AND THERMOPHILIC FUNGI FROMMAIZE WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THERMOASCUS SPECIES

A number of thermotolerant and thermophilic fungi were isolated from s hipments of food-aid grain, and from large bag stacks of maize stored in sub-Saharan Africa. Thermotolerant fungi included Aspergillus candi dus, A. fumigatus, A. flavus and Paecilomyces varioti; thermophilic fu ngi included Thermomyces lanuginosus, Rhizomucor pusillus, Thermoascus aurantiacus and T. crustaceous. Temperature profiles for Thermoascus spp. indicated that isolates of T. aurantiacus grew up to 60 degrees C , and T. crustaceous to 55 degrees C, whereas Paecilomyces could not g row above 50 degrees C. Thermoascus species isolated from grains confo rmed to published morphological descriptions. Problems associated with the detection and interpretation of fungal spoilage in relation to he at-damaged grain are discussed. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.