Occurrence of toxigenic Penicillium polonicum in retail green table olives from the Saudi Arabia market

In Saudi Arabia, table olives are widely consumed as appetizers, pickles, and food additives. Many food-borne fungal pathogens such as Penicillium specie have ability to survive on prepared and preserved green table olives. Penicillium polonicum, an important mycotoxin producer, is much more frequently found in cereals, peanuts, onions, dried meats, citrus fruits and recently in frozen food. The aim of this study was to determine, identify and characterize the occurrence of mycotoxin producing Penicillium species from retail green table olives purchased in the Saudi Arabia markets and used for human consumption. Our results revealed that Penicillium expansum, P. citrinum, P. verrucosum and P. polonicum were isolated form all samples. P. polonicum was the only species that able to grow producing vegetative and reproductive structures in refrigerators. The qualitative determination of citrinin, penicillic acid and cyclopiazonic acid is positive in all investigated samples. This study provides insight into the presence of toxigenic P. polonicum not only as a mould but also as a source of toxic metabolites that produced inside food products. Thus, the application of prevention actions should be attained. Furthermore, P. polonicum is reported here for first time as both an inhabitant and a pathogen on green table olives.