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Identification of Aspergillus and Penicillium species associated with raisins in some areas of East Azerbaijan province
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Fatemeh Mohammadi   , Mahdi Davari * , Parisa Ganjpour , Maryam Yousefi , Mahin Pouresmaeil , Hedieh Berenjizade |
| , mdavari@uma.ac.ir |
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Abstract: (59 Views) |
Raisins pose a significant challenge to food safety due to their susceptibility to contamination by mycotoxigenic fungi. This research was conducted to achieve species-level identification within the Aspergillus and Penicillium genera and to characterize the fungal community composition of processed raisins from packaging facilities in Bonab, Maragheh, and Ajabshir counties, East Azerbaijan province, Iran. One hundred and two samples were collected from 17 aforementioned facilities and local orchards. Fungal isolation was performed on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) and Malt Extract Agar (MEA). Preliminary identification was based on morphological criteria, with final confirmation obtained through sequencing of the β-tubulin gene region and phylogenetic analysis. Among all samples, 86 (84.3%) exhibited fungal contamination. From a total of 198 purified isolates, 95 (47.9%) belonged to the genus Aspergillus and 75 (37.9%) to the genus Penicillium. Among the Aspergilli, Aspergillus tubingensis, and among the Penicillia, Penicillium expansum, were identified as the dominant species. Furthermore, based on our knowledge, Penicillium rolfsii, P. rubens, P. chrysogenum, and Talaromyces purpurogenus are reported from raisins in Iran for the first time. It is concluded that the fungal community of raisins in the studied region is primarily composed of A. tubingensis and diverse Penicillium species. The documentation of several new records for the country underscores the imperative for continuous monitoring and effective post-harvest management to mitigate mycotoxin contamination risks in this strategic commodity.
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Article number: 8 |
| Keywords: Aspergillus, East Azerbaijan, Penicillium, Molecular Identification, Raisin, β-tubulin. |
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Biosafety
Received: 2025/11/7
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