Mycotoxin Producing Potential of Fungi Associated with Dry Shrimps

Among 114 fungi isolated from 20 dry shrimp samples, 27 isolates were capable of producing mycotoxins. Aspergillus and Penicillium were-the-predominant fungi. Two of 3 Aspergillus flavus could produce aflatoxin B₁ and G₁ on yeast extract sucrose medium and on surface sterilized dry shrimps. For other toxigenic species, toxicity was found mostly in the chloroform extracts of cultures. Visibly mouldy dry shrimps had significantly higher moisture content than the non-mouldy ones. Most of the fungi were isolated from mouldy samples.