ABSTRACT
Aspergillus flavus
during secondary metabolism. In fact, the B
form of aflatoxin is the most potent naturally occurring carcinogen known.
Humans and animals can be exposed to aflatoxin by consuming food products contaminated with
A. flavus
. The fungus can colonize most food products during storage, but the pathogenic ability of
A. flavus
also enables it to infect crops such as corn, peanuts, cotton, and tree nuts long before harvest.
