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A survey was carried out to detect the presence of aflatoxin B(1) in 60 duplicated samples (120 samples) of peanuts butter purchased from the local markets and other traditionally prepared and distributed by the street sellers in Khartoum state, Sudan. AflaTest-P affinity column was used to extract the toxin from the samples, and the concentration was measured by calibrated Vicam fluorometer. Aflatoxin B(1) was detected at variable levels in 100% of the screened samples. Traditionally prepared samples showed the highest incidence of aflatoxin B(1) which is above the internationally regulated tolerance levels (5-20 ppb). The means and the ranges of the aflatoxin B(1) recovered were as follows: 63.9 ppb (29-128 ppb), 54.5 ppb (21-131 ppb) and 101 ppb (17-170 ppb) for samples collected from Khartoum, Khartoum North and Omdurman areas, respectively. Samples from retail stores presented relatively low aflatoxin B(1) incidences 14.5 ppb (1-57 ppb), but only 30% of the samples revealed aflatoxin level below 10 ppb. Laboratory segregated and carefully prepared butter from good grade nuts showed the lowest levels of this toxin (3.3 ppb; 2-6 ppb). The results showed that peanuts butter prepared by the street sellers and distributed by the retail stores are evidently hazardous to human health. There is therefore urgent need for strong form of quality control measures and public awareness. The use of excellent grade peanuts and care during processing and storage are priority.

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El-Nagerabi SAF, Elshafie AE, AlKhanjari SS. 2013. Endophytic fungi associated with Ziziphus species from mountainous area of . Ziziphus species of the family Rhamnaceae grow extensively in arid and semi-arid regions. It is possible that the endophytic fungi associated with this plant might enhance the host resistance to the environmental impacts. The endophytic fungal population inhabiting the healthy leaves of Z. spina-christi and Z. hajanensis plants were determined from April 2008 to October 2011. The endophytic fungal communities varied between the two species, and 45 fungal species, 18 sterile mycelia and 12 yeasts were isolated from Z. spina-christi, whereas 35 fungi, 11 sterile mycelia and 5 yeasts were recovered from Z. hajanensis indicating tissue and species-specificity and without any seasonal variation among the endophytes. These endophytes are new to Ziziphus plants and 45 species are new to the mycoflora of Oman, whereas 27 species are new to Arabian Peninsula. The genus Alternaria was the most prevalent (19-81%) followed by Aspergillus (19-78%), Rhizopus stolonifer (78%), Mycelia sterilia (69%), yeasts (47%), Cladosporium (11-56%), Drechslera (14-53%), Curvularia (8-50%), Fusarium (6-33%), Ulocladium (41-31%), Penicillium (3-22%)), Alysidium resinae (11%), Trichocladium (6-11%), Anguillospora longissima, Bactrodesmium rahmii, Catenularia (8%), Helminthosporium sorghi (7%), Dendryphiella infuscans (6%), Hansfordia biophila (3-6%), Arthrinium, Dissophora, and Phoma sorghina (3%). The recovery of many fungal isolates, morphologically various sterile mycelia and yeasts suggests the high biodiversity of the endophytes invading these plants with strong evidence for future isolation of numerous fungal species through adopting more advanced molecular and DNA identification methods.

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