Mycotoxins and Toxigenic Fungi in Arabic Coffee Beans in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Aiming to determine the extent of coffee bean contamination by toxigenic fungi and Aflatoxin and Ochratoxin, forty eight samples were collected from local markets of the Saudi city, Jeddah. Out of these samples, forty six toxigenic isolates related to the genera Aspergillus and Pencillium were isolated and tested for their production of Aflatoxin B (AFB ) and Ochratoxin (OTA) using TLC chromatography. The finding was 11 that eight different isolates of A. flavus produced AFB and four of A. ochraceus produced OTA. Using HPLC, 1 it was found that eight samples of coffee beans were naturally contaminated. The quantification of Aflatoxin B ranged between 2.1-219 µg kg while Ochratoxin A. ranged between 3.77-25.9 µg kg . This indicates that 1 11 coffee, the most popular beverage in Saudi Arabia, has high level of toxin contamination when it is stored or displayed in less hygienic conditions.