AFLATOXINS IN INOCULATED RAW SESAME SEEDS AND ITS PROCESSED SESAME HALVA

Raw sesame seeds were examined for the incidence of fungi pro‌ducing aflatoxins, and aflatoxin control in the processed sesame hal‌ve. The incidence of fungal flora in raw sesame seeds were high for Peniciffium (40%), followed by 25% for Aspergilus niger and 35% tortwospeci esof Aspergiffus nevus producing aflatoxins_ Raw sesame seeds were subjected to the following treatments to control fungal growth and atlatoxin production: 1) Irradiation at 10 KGy, 2) Addition of 1.5% propionic acid and 3) Irradiation and addition of pro-picnic acid. The treated sesame, seeds were compared with the inoculat‌ed control sample (without treatment)for the amount ot, aflatoxins pro‌duced when the seeds were inoculated and incubated with the mixed fungal culture of A. paresiticus /VIAL 2999 and A. fiavus EMCC 274. Irradiation of sesame seeds at 10 KGy before inoculation with 1 ml (005 spores)/gof the mixed fungal culture increased the productionof aflatoxins. This observation might be clue to the destructive effect of irradiation on the competitive organisms present in sesame seeds, so im‌proved growth and activity of the inoculated fungal culture, However, addition of 1.5% propionic acid to the irradiated seeds, reduced the stimulatory effect of irradiation on the production of afialoxins. The processing of sesame halve from the sesame seeds contami‌nated with Aspergillus strains showed a significant reduction in aflatox‌ins_ The highest decrease in aflatoxin B1 (90%) occurred in sesame hal‌ve processed from the irradiated seeds and the addition of propionic acid at 1.5% level.