Quantification of the copy number of nor-1, a gene of the aflatoxin biosynthetic pathway by real-time PCR, and its correlation to the cfu of Aspergillus flavus in foods.

A real-time PCR system directed against the nor-1 gene of the aflatoxin biosynthetic pathway as a target sequence has been applied to detect an aflatoxinogenic A. flavus strain in plant-type foods like maize, pepper and paprika. The system is based on the TaqMan fluorescent probe technology.