inhibition of aflatoxin prodution by aspergillus flavus using low level y - irradiation

effects o f s e l ected l ow l evel doses of y - rad iation (100-400 k rad) on t he abi l ity o f toxin strain o f asperg i l l us flavus t o survive and pr oduce a f latox in in c ul t ure med ium and p is tachio nuts hav e been s tudied . a reduction of 60 per c e nt in growth and spore production by asperg i l l us flavus in c u l ture me di um was observed after treatment wi th 100 k rad of y - radiation . in spore inoculated pistachio nuts , 100 k rad o f y radi a tion reduced the a f la toxin b l and g l nroduction by 75% aft er e i ght week s s t orage per iod . the afla toxin prod~ ction ability by aspergillus f lavus on pistachio nuts was affectively eliminated by t he treatment o f spore inoculated pist achio nuts wi th 200 k rad of y-radiation , although very l itt le growth coul d be detected after eight weeks ' storage of 40 0 k rad y-irradiated pistachio nuts.