Distilled water plus 0.1% surfactant suspensions of spores of Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus were exposed to several radiation levels of cobalt-60 gamma rays. Spores of A. flavus isolate M-141 were exposed to radiation levels of approximately 16, 90 and 475 Krads and inoculated onto a sterile rice substrate which was then monitored for aflatoxin production. In this initial trial with A. flavus M-141, aflatoxins B1 and M production on rice increased as radiation dose increased. At the highest dose, this increase was more than 50 times higher than the non-irradiated controls. Spores of an aflatoxin G1-producing A. parasiticus isolate, M-1094, were exposed to 90, 215 and 430 Krads and resulted in increased production of aflatoxins G1, B1, and M. Aflatoxin production by M-1094 was highest at the low and medium dose levels. Irradiation of spores of this isolate with 430 Krads produced no observable spore germination or growth on rice and no detectable aflatoxin after 1 week of incubation at 27 C. A typical colonies from irradiated spores were selected and their mycotoxin production was determined. Increase in aflatoxin production by these strains, as compared to non-irradiated controls, was 67:1 for aflatoxin B1, 136:1 for B2, and 138:1 for M. This potential for greatly increased mycotoxin production must be considered when food is irradiated or when a high production of aflatoxins is desired.

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A collaborative study has been completed on an improved method for the detection and confirmation of uric acid from bird and insect excreta. The proposed method involves the lithium carbonate solubilization of the suspect excreta material, followed by butanol-methanol-water-acetic acid thin layer chromatography, and trisodium phosphate-phosphotungstic acid color development. The collaborative tests resulted in 100% detection of uric acid standard at the 50 ng level and 75% detection at the 20–25 ng level. No false positives were reported during tests of compounds similar to uric acid. The proposed method has been adopted official first action; the present official final action method, 44.161, will be retained for screening purposes.