Effect of Post-Harvest Management on Aspergillus flavus Growth and Aflatoxin Contamination of Stored Hazelnuts.

ABSTRACT: Hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) is a major crop in the Caucasus region, but its safety is often threatened by Aspergillus flavus colonization and aflatoxin contamination. Although aflatoxins (AFs) are strictly regulated in the EU, the influence of post-harvest practices on fungal persistence and AF accumulation remains poorly defined. A three-year study was conducted to evaluate the effects of drying protocols, storage temperature, and conservation practices on fungal growth and AF occurrence in hazelnuts from three producing regions of Azerbaijan. Freshly harvested nuts were subjected to two drying regimes: good drying (sun-exposed, mixed, protected from rewetting) and bad drying (shaded, piled, rewetted). After drying, samples were stored at cold (8-10 °C) or room temperatur

SUBMITTER: Casu A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12846331 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature