Effect of acetone on production of aflatoxins and versicolorin pigments by resting cell cultures of Aspergillus parasiticus.

Resting cell cultures of Aspergillus parasiticus were grown in medium containing four different concentrations of glucose, with and without acetone. In addition, the effect of different equimolar concentrations of acetone, acetic acid, ethanol, and sodium acetate was compared at two glucose levels. Aflatoxin and versicolorin pigment production increased in resting cell medium containing increasing concentrations of glucose. In the presence of glucose high concentrations of acetone (1.0 and 0.25 M) inhibited secondary biosynthesis and low concentrations of acetone (0.1, 0.025 and 0.01 M) stimulated secondary biosynthesis of aflatoxins and versicolorin pigments.