ASPERGILLUS DIFFERENTIATION MEDIUM BASE

Aspergillus Differentiation Medium Base is a selective and differential culture medium developed for detection and differentiation of aflatoxin-producing Aspergillus species from food and agricultural samples. It specifically helps to isolate and identify Aspergillus flavus, which is one of the primary fungal species responsible for aflatoxin contamination and spoilage of food crops and agricultural commodities. The medium was developed on the composition of Pitt et al, with subsequent modification of the medium from the original method of Bothast and Fennel to increase differential capabilities of species of Aspergillus.

The presence of a peptic digest of animal tissue and yeast extract serves as a source of nitrogen, vitamins and amino acids. In the medium Ferric ammonium citrate stimulates growth and its presence helps to obtain specific yellow-orange colorization by A. Flavus. Aspergillus flavus excretes compounds aspergillic acid or neoaspergillic acid, which react with ferric ions to form a pigment. This results in coloured precipitate surrounding colonies of A. Flavus. Chloramphenicol in the medium inhibits the growth of most bacteria, and dichloran inhibits the spreading growth of faster-growing molds making easier recognition of slower-growing filamentous fungi from such types of contaminations. The Medium supports the growth of A. Parasiticus too and it gives a pigment of the same type of colour reaction.

This Medium finds application for testing for fungal contamination of raw as well as processed foods.

This medium is used for the detection of aflatoxin producing Aspergillus species from foods.