Mycobiota composition and mycotoxins aflatoxin and Ochratoxin A type of some spices in the central region of Morocco [Composition en mycobiota et mycotoxines de type aflatoxines et ochratoxine A de quelques épices dans la région centrale du Maroc]

A total of 20 samples of spices were examined for their contamination with molds and mycotoxins,particularly aflatoxins (aft) and ochratoxin a (ota). using standard mycologic method we obtained an average population number of 4,9.104 cfu.g-1. eleven fungal genera were detected,mostly represented by aspergillus (35%),rhizopus sp (31%),penicillium (9%),eurotium (8%) and fusarium (6%). the dominant species of aspergillus were a. flavus (35.6%),a. ochraceus (32.8%) and a. niger (20%),while the genus penicillium was represented mostly by p. citreonigrum (54%). the presence of aflatoxins and ochratoxin a was determined by hplc with fluorescence detector after immunoaffinity column clean-up. they were detected in eight samples (80% of incidence) at an average range from 0.12 to 10.37 μg. kg-1. the higher level of contamination was found in paprika. the ota values ranged between 0.46 and 147.33 μg. kg-1,respectively in cumin and black pepper. in the present we reported for the first time the natural co-occurence of aft and ota in spices in morocco.