PlumX Metrics
Embed PlumX Metrics

Mycotoxins in South African traditionally brewed beers

Food Additives and Contaminants, ISSN: 0265-203X, Vol: 19, Issue: 1, Page: 55-61
2002
  • 131
    Citations
  • 0
    Usage
  • 93
    Captures
  • 1
    Mentions
  • 0
    Social Media
Metric Options:   Counts1 Year3 Year

Metrics Details

  • Citations
    131
  • Captures
    93
  • Mentions
    1
    • References
      1
      • Wikipedia
        1

Article Description

Traditionally brewed alcoholic beverages are regularly consumed by most ethnic black South Africans. Maize and barley, both of which are used for producing locally brewed alcoholic beer, are frequently contaminated by mycotoxin-producing moulds. The study was undertaken to investigate whether these toxins are present in raw grains and the traditional beers imbibed by the local black African population. It was established that the raw ingredients (sorghum, sorghum malt grains, maize grits), commercially produced traditional beers (Utshwala and Utshwala special) and home-brewed beers (Umqombotha, Isiqatha, Imfulamfula) were contaminated by bacteria and fungi (both yeasts and moulds). The contaminating moulds were isolated and identified. The contaminated samples were analysed for aflatoxins B, B, G and G, zearalenone, citrinin, deoxynivalenol, and ochratoxin A using a multi-mycotoxin thin-layer chromatography screening method and the toxins were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography. Grain samples were infected by Aspergillus flavus, A. alliaceus, A. clavatus, Penicillium spp., Rhizopus spp. and Mucor spp. Sorghum malt grain samples contained the toxin zearalenone. No mycotoxin-producing fungi were present in the fermented beers but two of six commercial beer samples contained aflatoxins (200 and 400 μg l) and 45% (13 of 29) of the home-brewed beers had zearalenone (range 2.6-426 μgl) and/or ochratoxin A (3-2340 μg l).

Bibliographic Details

B. Odhav; V. Naicker

Informa UK Limited

Agricultural and Biological Sciences; Chemistry; Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics; Medicine; Environmental Science

Provide Feedback

Have ideas for a new metric? Would you like to see something else here?Let us know