Distribution of Sterigmatocystin-producing Aspergilli in Japan

Naoki Kobayashi, Atsutaka Kubosaki, Yumi Takahashi, Miyuki Yanai, Rumi Konuma, Satomi Uehara, Takashi Chiba, Maiko Watanabe, Jun Terajima, Yoshiko Sugita-Konishi
2018 Food Safety  
Sterigmatocystin is a genotoxic and hepatocarcinogenic mycotoxin that contaminates foods and environments worldwide. Sterigmatocystin is produced as a precursor to aflatoxin B1 or as an end product by certain Aspergilli. Aspergillus section Versicolores is one of the major sections including sterigmatocystin-producing species and is thus a potential health and environmental hazard. Recently, the taxonomy of this section was revised and classified into 14 species on the basis of molecular
more » ... netic analysis. However, investigation of the distribution and sterigmatocystin production of each species has been limited; in particular, its distribution in foods has been scarcely reported. In this study, we collected isolates of Aspergillus section Versicolores from various foods and environments in Japan and investigated their distribution and sterigmatocystin production. The isolates were classified into nine species or species groups, which revealed that A. creber, A. puulaauensis/tennesseensis and A. sydowii are the main species/species groups in Japan. In addition, A. versicolor sensu stricto was detected with some frequency, specifically in foods. Furthermore, the two species A. creber and A. versicolor sensu stricto frequently produced sterigmatocystin. It is therefore important for food safety to intensively monitor these two species and distinguish them from other species, especially A. sydowii, which is not considered to produce sterigmatocystin.
doi:10.14252/foodsafetyfscj.2018001 pmid:32231949 pmcid:PMC6989199 fatcat:gt2bd3zf45djpolnyn2raee7sq