Toxigenic fungi and aflatoxin at the dried yeast obtainment - by-product of ethanol production

Abstract

Today Brazil is the biggest world producer of sugarcane, around 55% of the production is used for alcohol distillation. This process provides many by-products of which one is dried yeast.The dried yeast in its inactive form has been used for animal nutrition as a protein, vitamin, derivatives and flavoring. Nowadays there are reports confirming the presence in low amounts of aflatoxins in dried yeast. However there are no studies in the literature on the source of its contamination and neither research on the contamination of this product by toxigenic fungi. Mycotoxins are chemical substances produced during the secondary metabolism of some species of filamentous fungi responsible for food and animal feed contamination. Among mycotoxins, aflatoxin B1 is considered one of the most toxic, causing hepatotoxic effects in human and animals.The aim of this study is to evaluate the possible sources of aflatoxin producing fungi in dried yeast production, showing the critical points must to final product. Isolation, identification and quantification of toxigenic fungi as well as aflatoxin analysis will be carried out. (AU)