MYCOLOGICAL SURVEY OF SELECTED HEALTH FOODS

A survey was conducted to compare the total viable fungal content and the number of different mold species encountered in 10 types of health foods labeled organically grown and in the same foods without such a label. The foods were wheat flour, corn meal, brown rice, figs, split peas, pinto beans, soybeans, walnuts, pecans and peanuts. Results showed no consistent difference in either the total viable fungal content of the number of different mold species encountered between the labeled and unlabeled foods. Two genera of yeasts (Rhodotorula and Saccharomyces) and 22 genera of molds, including more than 65 spp., were encountered. The mold flora was dominated by Aspergillus glaucus, A. niger, A. flavus, A. candidus, Penicillium cyclopium and P. viridicatum. Isolates of the genera Alternaria, Cladosporium Fusarium and Helminthosporium also occurred in certain foods. At least 10 toxicogenic species of Aspergillus and Penicillium were encountered. A total of 87 cultures of these species, all isolated from health foods, were screened for laboratory production of their respective toxins. Toxin production potential of these 87 cultures did not differ from that of cultures of the same species isolated from conventional foods.