Fusarium verticillioides is considered to be the main source of fumonisins, a group of toxins that contaminate commodities and result in chronic and acute diseases affecting humans and animals. The...

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is the main mycotoxin occurring in wine. This review article is focused on the distribution of this toxin and its producing-fungi in grape berries, as well as on the fate of OTA during winemaking procedures. Due to its toxic properties, OTA levels in wine are regulated in different countries; therefore, it is necessary to apply control and detoxification methods that are also discussed in this revision.

Aspergillus flavus is frequently found in food, producing a wide variety of toxins, aflatoxins being the most relevant in food safety. A specific PCR-based protocol for this species is described which allowed discrimination from other closely related species having different profiles of secondary metabolites from the Aspergillus Section Flavi, particularly A. parasiticus. The specific primers were designed on the multi-copy internal transcribed region of the rDNA unit (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 rDNA) and were tested in a wide sample of related species and other fungal species commonly found in food. The PCR assay was coupled with a fungal enrichment and a DNA extraction method for wheat flour to enhance the sensitivity of the diagnostic protocol. The results indicated that the critical PCR amplification product was clearly observed for wheat flour contaminated by 10² spores after 16 h of incubation.