Use of chick embryo in screening for toxin-producing fungi.

The toxinogenicity of 720 fungal isolates was evaluated using the Chisk Embryotoxicity Screening Test (CHEST, phase I). Three hundred and sixteen (43.9%) isolates produced some of the 23 identified mycotoxins, unidentified toxic metabolites were produced by 170 (23.6%), and 234 (32.5%) isolates showed no signs of toxinogenicity. The 24 h lasting chick embryo assay proved very suitable for detecting fungal products with general cytotoxic potential where it yielded results consistent with those obtained with cell cultures and higher organisms. Simplicity, rapidity, and modest laboratory equipment belong to the advantages of this reliable and non expensive screening procedure.