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Publication
Interaction between T. castaneum and mycotoxin-producing fungi present in milled grains
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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
This work aims to study the interaction between two organisms when they grow
together in maize flour: Aspergillus flavus Link and Tribolium castaneum Herbst. Two strains
of A. flavus were used, one atoxigenic and the other producing aflatoxins. Trials involved a
control of only maize flour, maize flour with insects, maize flour with fungi and maize flour
with these both organisms (A. flavus and T. castaneum). The development of all these organisms
in maize flour was observed. The mycotoxigenic strain of A. flavus produced aflatoxin B1 and
B2. However, this production was significantly higher when the fungi was interacting with
insects, exceeding the limits allowed by EU in food. AFG1 and AFG2 were not found in any
of the treatments. The fungi development seemed to exert a negative effect on the insects
survival, as it caused their death, regardless of the putative chemical defenses that this insect
has towards other compting organisms, the benzoquinones. It was observed that the adults of
red flour beetle promote not only the dispersal and growth of the fungi, as well as seem to
stimulate mycotoxin production.
Description
Artigo da comunicação oral publicado nos Preceedings of the 13th Meeting IOBC-WPRS at Barcelona, In: IOBC-WPRS Bulletin. 2022;159:144-148.
Keywords
Tribolium castaneum Aspergillus flavus Maize flour Aflatoxins Toxicologia Segurança Alimentar