Vol. 12, Issue 3 (2023)

Author(s):
Dr. M Sakthi Priya, A Jagadeeswaran, MJ Raja, A Natarajan and P Srinivasan

Abstract:
Ochratoxin A (OTA), a known nephrotoxin is produced by Aspergillus and Penicillium spp contaminating crops. As there are numerous factors known to influence the OTA production, the present study was undertaken to explore a suitable substrate for the production of OTA under laboratory. Spores from the working culture of Aspergillus ochraceus MTCC No.1810 were inoculated into selected substrates like polished rice, maize, pearl millet and de-oiled cakes like groundnut oil cake and deoiled sunflower meal and toxin was estimated after seven days. The results revealed noticeable levels of OTA in deoiled sunflower meal and pearl millet. Thus deoiled sunflower meal was selected for the second phase, owing to its usage in poultry feeds at a level of 10 - 15 percent as a source of protein and subjected to toxin production for a period of 28 days. The toxin was detected at weekly intervals. The results revealed 8, 17, 25 to 58 ppb on 7, 14, 21 and 28 days respectively with the highest level detected on 28^th day at a temperature of 28 °C – 32 °C. Thus deoiled sunflower meal would be a better substrate than other cereals and oil cake to stimulate OTA production among the substrates tested.