Determination of Aflatoxins and Zearalenone in Different Culture Media

Some molds produce desirable changes in food, but most are merely esthetically undesirable. There has also been an increasing awareness that certain metabolic products of some molds commonly found on foods and feed are dangerous to humans and animals. These toxin substances, mycotoxins, are secondary metabolites produced by different fungi, especially Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium , and, to a lesser degree, Alternaria (1 ). The most important toxins for humans are aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, fumonisins, certain trichothecenes, and zearalenone (2 ).