Self mutagens affect detrimentally PCR analysis of food fungi by creating potential mutants

Analysing fungi from food by PCR is increasing rapidly. However, food fungi produce mutagens which may mutate the fungi in culture so that fungi which produce mycotoxins may have a negative PCR result for genes in the mycotoxin metabolic pathway and vice versa: It is impossible to state unequivocally that the current PCR results obtained are accurate. For example, food containing a mycotoxin fungus may be considered safe if the isolates from the food were mutated into being negative for the mycotoxin (or other) gene and vice versa. Growth conditions affect which mutagens are produced and the conditions used by authors are assessed for the first time in the current report. Previous research assumed that NA was unaffected by how fungi were grown despite no supporting evidence. Individual research groups used similar growth conditions for disparate fungi for PCR analysis which were different from methods used by alternative workers. Rationales for using particular growth methods are unexplained. The fungi will be in almost continuous contact for long periods with various biochemical mutagens at high concentrations. Only partial solutions can be provided by suggesting alternative methods. Future methods need to state why particular conditions are employed when growing fungi and what was done to avoid mutagens.