ABSTRACT
Aspergillus section Flavi is a group of Ascomycetes, mainly known for their ability to produce some mycotoxins, especially aflatoxins (AFs). Aflatoxins are hazardous to human and mammals, the main detrimental effect associated with them are their potential carcinogenic, especially AFB1, which is known to be the most potent natural carcinogenic compound. Species from Aspergillus section Flavi occur in a variety of crops all over the world, including cereals, oilseeds, tree nuts, spices, dried fruits, etc. Over the last decade, the development of new analyzing techniques has allowed to comprehend in a better way the relationships between species in Aspergillus section Flavi.
This chapter discusses the worldwide distribution of aflatoxigenic species from Aspergillus section Flavi. It highlights the food matrices were these species occur and their geographical area, while pointing out the main mycotoxins and the most important secondary metabolites produced by each species. It also brings up the effects of climate change in the distribution patterns of aflatoxigenic species of Aspergillus section Flavi.
