VOLATILE FUNGAL METABOLITES AND THEIR RELATION TO THE SPOILAGE OF AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES

Spoilage of agricultural commodities, mainly grains, due to fungal det erioration is a significant source of their loss. Fungi invading store d commodities influence their quality causing decrease in germination, dry matter loss, heating, and off-odor formation. They can also produ ce mycotoxins - metabolites harmful to animals and humans. Volatile me tabolites produced by fungi can be characteristic markers of fungal pr esence. This paper reviews proposed methods for fungal contamination a ssessment based on volatile metabolites, together with literature on v olatile metabolites produced by fungi belonging mainly to three genera : Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium being the most important in g rains and other agricultural commodities spoilage.