EFFECTS OF REWASHING PISTACHIO USING A FLOATING TANK PROCESS ON REDUCING SPORE DENSITY OF ASPERGILLUS FLAVUS

Aflatoxins are produced by certain strains of Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus. These fungi are ubiquitous and the potential for contamination of foodstuffs and animal feeds is widespread.
The occurrence and magnitude of aflatoxin contamination varies with geographical and seasonal factors, and also with the conditions under which a crop is grown, harvested, and stored.
Within processing lines in Iran there is a floating tank system in which spores are transformed from contaminated to non-contaminated nuts.
Installation of a machine nut washing system, with 8 nozzles into the line after the floating tank, was evaluated to optimize distance of nozzles from the nuts, water pressure and angle of water trajectory for removing spores on contaminated pistachio nuts.
Spore density of A. flavus from 100 nuts from different treatments were evaluated by culturing on an AFAP media.
Spore density of A. flavus was decreased in all treatments compared with unwashed control pistachio nuts.
It is recommended that all processors should install a spray washing system in line after the floating tank to obtain improved performance and hygiene.

XXVII International Horticultural Congress – IHC2006: International Symposium on The Role of Postharvest Technology in the Globalisation of Horticulture

H. Hokmabadi

pistachio, processing, spore, aflatoxin

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2008.768.45