Toxigenic and atoxigenic strains of Aspergillus flavus were grown on potato
dextrose agar (PDA) and wetted (23% moisture) sterile, cracked corn for 14 and 21 days,
respectively. Volatile compounds produced by A. flavus, as well as those present in the
PDA controls and sterile cracked maize, were collected using solid-phase micro-extraction
(SPME) and identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Results show
that growth substrate had a major impact on the number and type of volatiles detected.
Growth on sterile cracked maize produced many more volatiles than did potato dextrose
agar. There were also differences observed in the type of volatiles produced between
toxigenic and non-toxigenic isolates, as well as between isolates of the same toxigenic
grouping.