Molecular and metabolic strategies for postharvest detection of heat-resistant fungus Neosartorya fischeri and its discrimination from Aspergillus fumigatus

摘要

Heat Resistant Fungi (HRF) and toxigenic fungi are considered as a serious problem both in the agricultural field and for human health, due to ascospores and mycotoxins production, which can contaminate fruit and, as a consequence, adversely affect the agricultural food chain. One strategy to identify these fungi is the use of modern molecular method, which include the analysis of DNA target regions for differentiation of the fungal species. However, previously developed methods included only the identification of pure strains but not the detection of Neosartorya fischeri in artificially contaminated food samples, such as fruit or juices. Therefore, the aim of presented study was to develop a detection method of Neosartorya fischeri in contaminated strawberry fruit and juice. The other strategy is the use of phenotypic assays to determine the metabolic profile of the fungi in order to facilitate a qualitative and quantitative detection of microorganisms based on specific substrates utilization and mycotoxins production. Accordingly, the study included an evaluation of the differences in phenotype profile between N. fischeri and the phylogenetically close fungus Aspergillus fumigants, as a strategy of their differentiation and identification.