Fungal Contamination and Toxigenicity of Aspergillus flavus on Postharvest Cacao Beans in Northern Sumatera, Indonesia

The study was carried out to enumerate fungal contamination, and toxigenicity of Aspergillus flavus strains on cacao beans during drying storage. As many as 3500 g storage were purchased from smallholder farmers the plantation areas at Karo Regency, Northern Sumatera. percentage contaminated by fungi conducted using direct plating. Fungal populations soil determined dilution followed pour plated in dichloran 18% glycerol agar (DG18) parasiticus (AFPA). mycological evaluation based morphological characteristics. Results showed eighteen genera isolated plantation; sp., A. niger, flavus, Penicillium citrinum most important contaminants. Six species associated with contamination cocoa i.e. Candida tropicalis, Saccharomyces spp., Fusarium spp. Whereas three P. citrinum. dominated (>40%) sp. citrinum, respectively. Among 21 3 (15%) soil, 18 (85%) toxigenic both strain scaf6 cbaf5 highest aflatoxin producers (30.0 ppb). Preventing harvesting, drying, a prerequisite minimise contamination.