Abstract

Bao-Sheng Wang1, Qian Zhao1*and You-Zhi Wang2,

Aspergillus sectionFlavi consists of many species which are very similar in morphology and veryimportant in human health and food industry. Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus parasiticus, and Aspergillus toxicarius are notorious aflatoxigenic species.Aspergillus oryzae andAspergillus sojae arenon-aflatoxigenic species and widely used for Oriental fermented food. The presence of the aflRgene and aflatoxin B1(AFB1) production ability was assessed by PCR detection and HPLC analysis, respectively. The investigation of AFB1 and amplification of the aflRgene in thirty five authentic strains of Aspergillussection Flavishowed that (1) all the AFB1-producing strains were detected to possess the aflRgene; (2) some non AFB1-producing Aspergillussection Flavistrains are constitutional, which did not tested to possess the aflRgene; (3) some strains used in Oriental fermentation have the aflRgene but they are non AFB1-producing aspergilli. The conclusion is that it is uncertain to judge the aflatoxigenicity of an Aspergillusstrain using the aflRgene as an indicato