Polyphasic approach to the identification and characterization of aflatoxigenic strains of Aspergillus section Flavi isolated from peanuts and peanut-based products marketed in Malaysia.

Peanuts are widely consumed as the main ingredient in many local dishes in Malaysia. However, the tropical climate in Malaysia (high temperature and humidity) favours the growth of fungi from Aspergillus section Flavi, especially during storage. Most of the species from this section, such as A. flavus, A. parasiticus and A. nomius, are natural producers of […]

Cultural and Genetic Approaches to Manage Aflatoxin Contamination: Recent Insights Provide Opportunities for Improved Control.

Aspergillus flavus is a morphologically complex species that can produce the group of polyketide derived carcinogenic and mutagenic secondary metabolites, aflatoxins, as well as other secondary metabolites such as cyclopiazonic acid and aflatrem. Aflatoxin causes aflatoxicosis when aflatoxins are ingested through contaminated food and feed. In addition, aflatoxin contamination is a major problem, from both […]

Effect of thermal/pressure processing and simulated human digestion on the immunoreactivity of extractable peanut allergens.

Peanut allergy is one of the most widespread types of food allergies especially affecting developed countries. To reduce the risk of triggering allergic reactions, several technological strategies have been devised to modify or remove allergens from foods. Herein we investigated the combination of high temperature and pressure on the modulation of peanuts immunoreactivity after simulated gastro-duodenal digestion. […]

Role of dendritic cells in peanut allergy.

The prevalence of peanut allergy (PA) has increased, affecting approximately 1.1% of children in Western countries. PA causes life-threatening anaphylaxis and frequently persists for life. There are no standardized curative therapies for PA, and avoidance of peanuts remains the main therapeutic option. A better understanding of the pathogenesis of PA is essential to identify new […]

Peanut allergens.

Peanut allergens have the potential to negatively impact on the health and quality of life of millions of consumers worldwide. The seeds of the peanut plant Arachis hypogaea contain an array of allergens that are able to induce the production of specific IgE antibodies in predisposed individuals. A lot of effort has been focused on […]

Effects of packaging and pre-storage treatments on aflatoxin production in peanut storage under controlled conditions.

This study reports on aflatoxin production and peanut (Bailey's variety) quality, for four peanutpre-storage treatments; [(Raw clean (Raw-Cl), Raw inoculated with Aspergillus flavus NRRL 3357 (Raw-Inf), inoculated partially roasted but not-blanched (PRN-blanch); and inoculated partially roasted, blanched with discolored nuts sorted out (PR-blanched)]. All four treated samples were packaged in four different packaging systems [polypropylene woven sacks (PS), hermetic packs […]

Effects of packaging materials on storage quality of peanut kernels.

In order to obtain optimum packaging materials for peanut kernels, the effects of four types of packaging materials on peanut storage quality (coat color, acid value, germination rate, relative damage, and prevention of aflatoxin contamination) were examined. The results showed that packaging materials had a major influence on peanut storage quality indexes. The color of […]

Insight into Genes Regulating Post-harvest Aflatoxin Contamination of Tetraploid Peanut from Transcriptional Profiling.

Post-harvest aflatoxin contamination is a challenging issue that affects peanut quality. Aflatoxin is produced by fungi belonging to the Aspergilli group, and is known as an acutely toxic, carcinogenic and immune-suppressing class of mycotoxins. Evidence for several host genetic factors that may impact aflatoxin contamination has been reported, e.g., genes for lipoxygenase (PnLOX1 and PnLOX2/PnLOX3 that […]