| Abstract: | Domestic and imported cheeses were studied to determine the incidence of mycotoxin producing molds. The total incidence of molds in visibly non-moldy cheese was very low. Isolation of molds from plate counts, and directly from samples, showed that the major portion of the flora was made up of Penicillium species; 86% in domestic cheeses and 80% in imported cheeses. Many of the Penicillium isolates were capable of growing at low storage temperatures. Mold counts done at 5°C, and prolonged storage of cheese samples at 5°C indicated a potential for considerable mold growth on cheese during refrigerated storage. While the overall incidence of known mycotoxin producing molds was low, a number of potentialy toxic species were found, including P. cyclopium, P. viridicatum, A. flavus and A. ochraceus. These species accounted for 4.4% of all the isolates from domestic cheeses and 4.0% from imported cheeses. Screening of all mold isolates for production of several known mycotoxins showed that a number of isolates (14.1% of all molds in domestic cheeses and 11.5% in imported cheeses) were capable of producing certain mycotoxins including patulin, penicillic acid, ochratoxin A, citrinin and aflatoxins. |
