Survey of Penicillia associated with Italian grana cheese

Abstract

The present work aimed to contribute information on the mycobiota associated with ripening grana cheese, with focus on the genus Penicillium as potential mycotoxin producers. Eighteen wheels of grana cheese, aged in different storehouses situated in Northern Italy, were sampled to isolate associated fungi. Penicillium spp. were commonly dominant; morphological observation and gene sequencing were applied to identify Penicillium at species level. P. crustosum and P. solitum were the dominant species. Citrinin and ochratoxin A mycotoxins were analysed and the latter was found in all grana cheese samples. These results confirmed that a polyphasic approach is mandatory for Penicillium identification at species level.

Antifungal effect of organic acids from lactic acid bacteria on Penicillium nordicum

“…Fröhlich-Wyder et al (2013) determined that L. buchneri and L. parabuchneri isolated from cheese do not affect cheese quality or its flavours, but improve its chemical composition and eye formation by enhancing gas production. Several authors have reported the presence of OTA in different types of cheesesblue cheese, hard cheese, traditional Italian cheese, Gorgonzola, Roquefort and white cheeses (Dall'Asta et al 2008;Pattono et al 2013;Benkerroum 2016;Decontardi et al 2017). Others associate P. nordicum with the production of OTA in cheeses (Larsen et al 2000).…”

Modelling Fungal Growth, Mycotoxin Production and Release in Grana Cheese

“…The co-occurrence of toxigenic fungi on grana cheese, during ripening and storage [5,10,20] is a matter of concern for manufacturers and consumers, because of the possible production of different mycotoxins. There is a complete lack of regulation for mycotoxins (with the exception of aflatoxin M 1…”

“…is reported as the dominant fungal genus growing on cheese [4]. Information about penicillia growing on grana cheese during ripening has been reported by Decontardi et al [10,12]. In particular, P. crustosum and P. solitum were the dominant species isolated, but other mycotoxin producing fungi identified were A. flavus and P. verrucosum.…”

“…In particular, P. crustosum and P. solitum were the dominant species isolated, but other mycotoxin producing fungi identified were A. flavus and P. verrucosum. OTA was detected in all the cheese samples analyzed [10].…”

“…Globally, several studies have focused on the occurrence of mycotoxins in cheese; the most widely reported compounds were citrinin (CIT), penitrem A (PA), roquefortine C (ROQ-C), sterigmatocystin (STC), and ochratoxin A (OTA) [6][7][8][9][10][11]. Penicillium spp.…”