Assessment of aflatoxin producing fungi in stored wheat (triticumaestivum l.)

The aim of this research work was to assess the aflatoxin contamination of wheat during the storage time therefore wheat samples were collected with different time intervals i-e May, July and October 2014 from upper, central and bottom sack of the same selected stack from 11 public godowns of Hyderabad Division, for Mycological study of aflatoxin in stored wheat stock samples. The results revealed that percentage frequency of aflatoxin producing fungi (Aspergillus parasiticus and Aspergillus flavus) was found increased in the bottom portion during the month of October in comparison to upper and central portions of the months May and July, and higher concentration of afllatoxin were found in the higher frequency percentile samples that is Bolhari, Dadu, Aarazigodowns showed 22ng/g concentration of aflatoxin whereas K.N shah and Sehwan having concentration of about 23ng/g, the percentage of moisture in highly contaminated wheat samples were also noted high i-e 13.7, 14.8, 14.9, 14.5 and 14.6% respectively. In proximate findings no such effect was seen in crude fiber and fat but protein (11.99%) and moisture (8.56%) showed lower value at the bottom sack wheat in the samples that showed higher contamination. Wet and dry gluten was found low in all portions of sacks but among all portions the bottom sacks showed more decreased i-e 22.11% in wet and 9.67% in dry gluten due to high contamination in wheat samples taken in the month of October. It was concluded that Aflatoxin producing fungi develop their colonies along with increasing storage time in godowns due to moisture, temperature and change of weather such as monsoon, which was observed the most favorable condition for growing their colonies contaminating the wheat and making it unsuitable for human consumption.