These studies were carried out to detect the presence of mycotoxin producing fungi in various foodstuffs in Korea.
The experiments were divided into three parts: bacteriologic, toxicologic and electron microscopic studies.
From the 133 various samples, 425 colonies of fungi were isolated. In 405 of the 426 colonies it was possible to identify 17 genera. Among the identified strains the predominant genera were Penicillum, Aspergillus and Alternaria.
In the cytotoxicity test, 18 strains showed imld to severe toxic effects in mice, 19 strains showed toxic effects on HeLa cells.
In electron microscopic studies of liver cells from aninals which had been treated with toxin-like substances, the liver cells showed the cytoplasmic changes dilatation of endoplasmic reticulum, swelling of mitochondria and increased number of lipid and glycogen particles. Alterations of nuclear envelape were also noted.
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