The genus ASPERGILLUS (Anamorph) belongs to Deutromycets and has several species. Some of the species infected human, animal, plants and nuts.  Most of these species have ability to degrade plant components by production of pectinase enzyme. The species of ASPERGILLUS flavus and ASPERGILLUS niger are the most popular species of this genus. Although these species could be identified using morphological characters, the interspecific and intraspecific variation could not be evaluated.  Regarding pectic enzyme serection by the species, pectic zymogram technique was used as a simple and usefull method to identify the species and to detect inter and intraspecific variation. Initially the collected samples were transferred to the laboratory and after preparation were transferred on the appropriate media. The pure cultures were obtained for the sample with ASPERGILLUS characteristics. Then ASPERGILLUS fungi were identified microscopically based on morphological characters.  As a result, 40 isolates of A. niger and 30 isolates of A. flavus were recognized.  Then pured sampeles were transferred to liquid media contaning citrus pectin as a sole carbon source to induce the secretion of extracellular pectinase enzymes. After incubation for an optimised period the secreted pectinase enzymes was extracted and concentrated by Cephadex G150 and then loaded on the polyacrilamide horizontal gel and electerophoresed. There were 18 zymogram patterns for A. niger and 8 for A. flavus. The results based on the comparison of the zymogram patterns showed that there is inter and intraspecific variation for studied ASPERGILLUS species.  It seems this technique could be used not only for the species identification, but also use to study of epidemiology of the fungs.

In order to dismiss the problems of using Zataria multiflora essential oil (instability, evaporation, and decomposition against environmental and chemical conditions) and increase its efficiency in controlling pathogenic fungi (ASPERGILLUS niger, ASPERGILLUS flavus, and ASPERGILLUS ochraceus), a system carrying Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (SLNs) was used. The experiment was arranged using the completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications by mixing the essential oil and essential oil-load SLNs with potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium at four concentrations of 20, 50, 100, and 200 ppm. This experiment was performed in Nanotechnology Research Center, Pharmacy Department in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences and Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. The essential oil-loaded SLNs were prepared high-tensile pressure homogenization together with ultrasonic waves. Results of particle size determination showed a mean size of 284 nm, PdI 0/483 and a ZP of      mv and SLNs were spherical as shown by TEM. Furthermore, the minimum inhibitory concentration under in vitro conditions for the free form of essential oil in the A. ochraceu, A. flavus was 300 μ lL-1 and for A. niger was 200 μ lL-1. For the essential oil-loaded SLNs, it was 200 μ lL-1. Essential oil-loaded SLNs increased 38% inhibitory growth of pathogenic fungi than free form of essential oil. Result indicated that SLNs were appropriate carriers for Z. multiflora essential oil to increase its efficiency in controlling of A. niger, A. flavus, and A. ochraceus.

ASPERGILLUS parasiticus and ASPERGILLUS flavus are the most important agents for contamination of food and are capable of production of carcinogenic toxins. Increasing awareness of optimal growth conditions helps to control and prevent the contamination and toxicity of these fungi. This experiment was conducted in order to study the effect of temperature, pH and seed moisture content on the growth of these fungi. The effect of corn seed moisture, at levels 15, 18, 21, 24, 27 and 30 percent on corn, and temperature, at level 18, 22, 25, 28, 31 and 34 ° C, in PDA medium and the effect of pH at level 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 in PDB medium were investigated on the growth of these two fungi. The growth rate of fungi and dry weight of mycelium fungi in different treatments was evaluated in a completely randomized design in four repetitions. Statistical analysis was performed by using SAS 9. 1 software. Also, to determine the presence of toxins in fungi was used of coconut– agar medium. The results showed that the optimum growth conditions are for A. parasiticus at 31° C, pH= 5 and seed moisture content of 27% and for A. flavus at 28° C, pH=6 and seed moisture content of 27%. It was also found, both fungal have the ability to produce aflatoxin. According to the results of this research can be concluded that A. parasiticus and A. flavus have the better grow in tropical and subtropical regions and decrease moisture content, low temperatures and cool in stock can play an effective role in preventing the growth of these fungi and in reducing their toxin production consequently.

Different species of ASPERGILLUS growth on food and feed and by producing of secondary metabolites including aflatoxin, cause a lot of damage and reduce the value of their food. In this study the effect of different concentrations of citric acid, propionic acid and aloe vera extract on colony growth of the ASPERGILLUS flavus and ASPERGILLUS parasiticus were evaluated, for this purpose, the desired concentration of the compounds prepared and was added to to Czapek media. Then this environment was inoculated by five-millimeter discs containing fresh culture ASPERGILLUS parasiticus, and the results showed that propionic acid at concentrations of 0.5, 0.8, 1 and 1.5% completely prevented the growth of the colonies. Citric acid at concentrations of 0.5, 0.8, and 1% has moderate anti-fungal properties, and the concentration of 1.5% had no effect on reducing the diameter of the colony. Aloe vera plant extract with a concentration of 2, 4 and 6% showed a deterrent effect. The relationship between aflatoxin production and sclerotia formation, isolates of ASPERGILLUS flavus and ASPERGILLUS parasiticus were cultured in medium Chapk, And high-pressure liquid chromatography was used to measure aflatoxin level. Compared with the total amount of aflatoxin produced by the isolates, a small sclerotium group produced more aflatoxin than the group without sclerotium and large sclerotium.

Pistachio processing terminals play an important role in contamination of pistachio nuts by ASPERGILLUS species and their toxin. The population density of ASPERGILLUS flavus and ASPERGILLUS niger groups were examined in pistachio processing terminals. Sampls collected from different stages of 17 semi-mechanized and traditional pistachio processing terminals. The media used for isolations were AFPA and Czapek agar. Serial dilution method was used to quantify populations of A. flavus and A. niger groups. The results indicated that population density of flavus and niger groups in traditional terminals was more than semi-mechanized terminals in processed pistachios. Comparison between different washing systems during pistachio processing revealed that using water shower baths is more efficient than current or non-current pools to reduce population densities of above fungi. Combination of two systems could be useful to establish a suitable washing system and sorting of contaminated pistachios from healthy ones is necessary. There was a positive correlation between shell staining and population density of ASPERGILLUS flavus and ASPERGILLUS niger groups and can be applied to sort out contaminated pistachios from healthy pistachios. There was no different between fungal population densities of sun-drying days, significantly. It seems sun-drying conditions are not suitable for growing ASPERGILLUS species in Kerman province. Nevertheless conditions througout maturation of pistachio nuts in the orchards are suitable for growing ASPERGILLUS species, but in Kerman,s condition during processing and storage conditions are not suitable for occuring next infections in pistachio lots. There was no certain correlation between small pistachio and population densities of A. flavus and A. niger groups, because population densities was high in some and low in other small pistachios. This is the first report to determine the population densities of ASPERGILLUS species in pistachio processing terminals and the role of different pistachio processing terminals in contamination.Results of this research can be applied to improve pistachio nut processing systems and sorting contaminated pistachios from healthy pistachios in processing stages.

ASPERGILLUS flavus is a saprophytic fungus contaminating different food and nut products by aflatoxin which is a major problem worldwide. Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) could be an effective method for control of saprophytic fungi and their toxins and secondary metabolites production. This study gives the consequences of fungal isolates growing under MAP condition on potato dextrose agar (PDA). Two isolates of A. flavus (A42 and CHAO50) were packed under 100% CO2, 100% O2 and vacuum conditions. The mycelial growth of fungal isolates on PDA was controlled up to 80% with CO2 treatment. Under the vacuum condition, mycelial growth of the isolates was inhibited up to 30%, while 100% oxygen had no inhibition on mycelial growth. Examination of isolates A42 and CHAO50 under UV light showed that both isolates produced yellow pigments on aflatoxin producing ability (APA) medium after 10 days. The levels of aflatoxin B1, B2, G1, G2 and total aflatoxin were analyzed chromatographically. The results revealed that the highest concentration of total aflatoxin was produced by fungal isolates grown in an atmosphere of 100% O2, while the level of aflatoxins was significantly reduced in 100% CO2.

Background: ASPERGILLUS species have crucial role in respiratory allergy. This study was aimed to evaluate the pattern of IgE-mediated immune response to common ASPERGILLUS species including ASPERGILLUS fumigatus, ASPERGILLUS flavous, ASPERGILLUS niger in type I ASPERGILLUS-hypersensitive patients’ sera.Methods: In this experimental study, the prepared protein extract of ASPERGILLUS species were dialyzed and the protein concentrations were measured by Bradford method. The protein patterns were checked by SDS-PAGE. The allergic patients and controls were selected based on their clinical history and skin prick test results. The cross-reactivity of allergens were determined by ELISA and Western-blotting using allergic patients’ and controls’ sera.Results: SDS-PAGE showed that the molecular weight of most of ASPERGILLUS proteins are between 11-100 kDa with typical bands between 46-100 kDa. ELISA showed that there is a significant difference between the serum-immunoreactivity of patients and negative controls for each of studied species. However, we did not find significant difference between the immunoreactivity of the patients with the studied fungal species. Western-blotting also detected various typical IgE-reactive proteins for each of ASPERGILLUS species.Conclusion: The IgE-reactive pattern of ASPERGILLUS species showed a slight difference. The variation of the immunoreactivity of the ASPERGILLUS species could be due to the genetic variations, difference in the environmental predisposition with saprophyte molds or non-equal allergenic potency of the extracts.