Application of a modified culture medium for the simultaneous counting of molds and yeasts and detection of aflatoxigenic strains of Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus.

Molds and yeasts from 91 samples of feed and raw materials used in feed formulation were enumerated on a new culture medium to which a beta cyclodextrin (beta-W7M 1.8-cyclodextrin) had been added. This medium was compared with other media normally used in laboratories for the routine analysis of fungi, such as Sabouraud agar, malt agar supplemented with 2% dextrose, and potato dextrose agar. When a t test for paired data (0.05 significance level, 95% confidence interval) was applied, no statistically significant differences between the results obtained with the new culture medium and those obtained with the other media used to enumerate molds and yeasts were found. For the evaluation of contamination due to aflatoxin for all of the samples, Sabouraud agar and yeast extract agar, both supplemented with 0.3% beta-W7M 1.8-cyclodextrin, and APA (aflatoxin-producing ability) medium were used. Aflatoxin was detected in 21% of the feed samples and in 23% of the raw-material samples analyzed, with maximal amounts of 2.8 and 6.0 microg of aflatoxin B1 per kg, respectively, being detected. In any case, the aflatoxin contents found exceeded the legally stipulated limits. The t test for paired data (0.05 significance level, 95% confidence interval) did not show statistically significant differences between the results obtained with the different culture media used for the detection of aflatoxins. The advantage of the new medium developed (Sabouraud agar with 0.3% beta-W7M 1.8-cyclodextrin) is that it allows simultaneous fungal enumeration and determination (under UV light) of the presence of aflatoxin-producing strains without prior isolation and culture procedures involving expensive and/or complex specific media and thus saves work, time, and money.