ABSTRACT
This is especially important because several of the fungal species which attack improperly dried material are capable of producing toxins, an example being aflatoxin homAspergillusflavus.
The eggplant or aubergine, Solanum melongena L, is native to India, where it is called brinjal (7). It has been grown in Asia since ancient times, but was unknown to the Greeks and Romans. The Arabs brought the eggplant to Spain, several centuries after Persian travellers had introduced it into Africa. It is now grown throughout the tropics and also in cooler latitudes (often under glass or plastic). World production is over 5 million tonnes, and the main producers include China, Turkey, Japan, Egypt, Italy, Syria, Indonesia, Iraq, Spain and the Philippines. Figures for India are unavailable.
