Mycobiota and Incidence of Toxigenic Fungi in Dried Fruits from Duhok Markets, North Iraq

Thirty
samples from each of four dried fruits (apricot,fig,plum and raisins) collected
from local shops at Duhok governorate were surveyed for their contamination
with fungi. Thirty eight fungal
species belonged to 13 genera in addition to yeasts were isolated and
identified. The highest diversity of fungi were detected from raisins (35
species), followed by 27 species isolated from plum, 26 species from figs and
18 species on apricot. Eleven species were found common on the four types of
dried fruits. These include Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus carbonarius,
A. flavus, A.fumigatus, A.niger,
A.parasiticus, Penicillium citrinum, P.expansum,
Cladosporium cladosporoides, Emericella nidulans and Eurotium amstelodami.Aflatoxigenic potentials of selected isolates of Aspergillus
section Flavi and ochratoxigenic potential of selected isolates from Aspergillus
section Nigri were detected by ELISA technique. Aflatoxin was found at
levels from 79.4 to 356ppb whereas, ochratoxin A at levels from 60-106ppb.