Molecular and morphological identification of fungi isolated from sour cherry, plum and apple fruit leather in Iran

Abstract Introduction Dried fruits such as sour cherry, plum, and apple are produced in the Semnan region. Since these products are processed and produced exposed to the air in the traditional way, the risk of their emergence is very high for microbial agents, especially those in the air. Therefore, this study was carried out to determine the contamination and its level. Materials and methods The specimens were fruit leather of sour cherry, plums, and apple. They were randomly collected from Semnan, Shahmirzad and Mahdishahr markets and transferred to the laboratory. In order to study macroscopic and microscopic morphological studies, the specimens were cultured on Sabouraud dextrose agar medium under sterile conditions. Four fungi that were important for their toxin productions, such as Penicillium, Sporothrix, Alternaria, and Rhizopus, were tested for molecular characterization. The primers used were based on the ribosomal region of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS1, ITS2, and ITS4). DNA extraction was performed using the phenol-chloroform method. Finally, the samples were sequenced. Results After obtaining single colonies and studying them by microscopic methods and slide cultures, nine species of fungi were identified. The results showed that a total of 48 isolates, the genera Alternaria, Penicillium, and Rhizopus were the most frequent. The sequences were a BLAST. Species of Rhizopus stolonifer, Alternaria alternata, Penicillium chrysogenum, and Sporothrix cyanescens were identified. Conclusion Considering the toxicity of known species, the food to be studied before being consumed by the buyer should be investigated for the presence of fungal contaminations, especially toxicogenic fungi, and their mycotoxins.