Isolation and classification of the fungus Fusarium graminearum and study the effect of cultivation media on the mycoprotein- and mycotoxin-production

Abstract

This research was conducted to study the optimal conditions for the laboratory production of myco-protein. For this purpose, the fungus Fusarium graminearum was cultured under controlled laboratory conditions. Samples of infected maize roots were taken, and colonies of this fungus were grown in Potato Dextrose Agar (P.D.A.). The cultivation process was performed in three different cultivation media, having their own glucose concentrations and pH-values, in order to show their effect on the chemical properties of the fungus (moisture, ash, fiber, sugar, protein, and myco-toxin) and its morphology. Results indicated that the myco-protein production has a maximum value in 8th day of cultivation for all cultures: (38.0435%) when using the medium with the highest glucose concentration at a pH-value (5 – 5.5). Furthermore, it was found that the level of produced myco-toxin increases with increasing pH-value; but this level was still in the tolerated range for children food according to the standards of the European Commission.