Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2016) 5(4): 1007-1017 1007 Original Research Article http://dx.doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2016.504.115 Exploration of Fungal Infection in Agricultural Grains, Aflatoxin and Zearalenone Synthesis under pH Stress Marei A. Hamed, T. M Abdel Ghany*, Nadeem I. Elhussieny and M.A.Nabih Biology Department, Faculty of Science, Jazan University, KSA, Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, AL-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt *Corresponding author ABSTRACT Introduction The growth of toxigenic fungi can adversely affect grain quality and even produce mycotoxins of food safety concern, which should be sensitively monitored and controlled during grain storage (Huan-Chen et al., 2015). Surveillance for mycotoxins and mycotoxigenic fungi is critical for maintaining high quality grains and grain products (Sarlin et al., 2006). Fungal identification is very important to provide information about which mycotoxins could be present (Maenetje and Dutton, 2007; Magnoli et al., 2007). For example, Lund and Frisvad (2003) found that samples of wheat and barley grains showing a percentage infestation of Penicillium verrucosum higher than that (7%) indicated by Ochratoxin A presence. Grain spoilage and mycotoxin contamination caused by toxigenic fungi are significant food safety problems (Frisvad & Thrane, 2004; Pitt et al., 2013). Grains fungal contamination have been carefully studied in several areas, and several grain types. Montes et al. (2009) investigated International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 5 Number 4 (2016) pp. 1007-1017 Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com Mycoflora of 25 grains samples collected from southern governorates of KSA were investigated. Fungal plates count for collected samples ranged from 0 up to 9900 CFU/g. The moisture content as an essential factor that affect fungal content of grains was also investigated and was variable among samples with range from 2.75 to 8.22%. Sixteen fungal species were identified among them Aspergilli, Penicilli and Fusaria dominate. A. niger, A. flavus and F. oxysporium showed high frequency among isolates, respectively. A. flavus and F. oxysporium were cultivated at different pH values and aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1 and G2) and zearalenone were detected. Maximum aflatoxins were produced at pH 5 while zearalenone was at pH 7. Keywords Exploration, fungal infection, agricultural grains, mycotoxins, pH. Accepted: 22 March 2016 Available Online: 10 April 2016 Article Info