Detection of toxigenic fusarium from foods by PCR

Abstract

Two PCR methods have been evaluated for the successful identification of Fusarium species. The PCR was performed using a primer specifically targeted to Tri5 gene. The sensitivity of the latter method was determined using the reference strain of Fusarium graminearum CCM F-683 and the selectivity was examined using reference cultures of different genera of fungi naturally occurring in food and feedstuff. Fifty food and feedstuff samples were examined for the presence of trichothecenes-producing Fusarium. In total, seven Fusarium species were isolated, of which five reacted positively with the primer, resulting in the expected size amplicon of 260 bp. Macroscopic and microscopic features were observed on the pure culture of Fusarium and on fungi isolated in relation to their growth in different laboratory media. Morphological features are important for species classification where the PCR can distinguish between toxigenic and nontoxigenic fungi of Fusarium. Thus the PCR technique has proved itself a reliable and rapid method for the detection of the toxigenic species Fusarium.