MYCOTOXINS AND MYCOTOXIN-PRODUCING FUNGI OCCURRING IN ASPARAGUS SPEARS

Field samples of asparagus spears were analysed for the presence of toxigenic fungi and their mycotoxins. Fusarium proliferatum and F. oxysporum were dominating species (36.7 and 15.8%, respectively). Both moniliformin and fumonisin B1 were found in spears infected by F. oxysporum and F. proliferatum, but only isolates of the latter fungus was able to produce both mycotoxins on wheat kernels. In samples of asparagus spears concentrations of fumonisin B₁ up to 5.6 μg kg^-1 (based on fresh weight) were detected and this percentage of mycotoxin containing samples was higher in 2003 than 2002, whereas the contamination with moniliformin (1350 μg kg^-1) was higher in 2002. Our studies show that the toxigenic fungus F. proliferatum might produce both fumonisin B₁ and moniliformin while infecting spears, and that these mycotoxins may impose a potential risk for human health. Further studies on the occurrence of Fusarium species and their ability to produce mycotoxins in asparagus spears as well as a survey for susceptibility and resistance among the commercial cultivars to these are currently in progress.