Growth and Aflatoxin Production by Aspergillus parasiticus in the Presence of Sodium Chloride.

Twenty-five milliliters of glucose-yeast-salt medium containing 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10% NaCl was inoculated to contain, approximately 10 or 10 conidia of Aspergillus parasiticus NRRL 2999 and then incubated at 13 or 28°C. Amounts of aflatoxin produced were determined using Reversed-Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Increasing the concentration of NaCl reduced accumulation of aflatoxin and also induced a lag in growth of the culture. At 13°C, the mold produced small amounts of aflatoxin after an extended lag phase, and NaCl was markedly more inhibitory at 13 than at 28°C.