| The relationships between fungal growth and ergosterol content and between aflatoxins B1 and B2 production and ergosterol content were verified in corn grains. In the first experiment, fungal growth and ergosterol content were monitored during incubation of corn grains presenting water activities of 0.85a w and 0.92a w at 25ºC over a period of 18 days. For the Taiúba variety, the fungi growth and ergosterol content increased more rapidly for 0.92a w than 0.85a w. Maximum ergosterol levels were 2.8 and 4.6 µg/g, respectively, for 0.85a w and 0.92a w. For the Cargill hybrid 606, a more pronounced increase in fungal growth was verified just at the end of the incubation period, mainly for 0.92a w when an acentuated increase in ergosterol content was also... |
