Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus are the main species from section Flavi responsible for aflatoxin
accumulation in stored peanuts. A real-time PCR (RT-PCR) system directed against the nor-1 gene of the
aflatoxin biosynthetic pathway as target sequence was applied to monitor and quantify Aspergillus section
Flavi population in peanuts. Kernels were conditioned at four water activity (aW) levels and stored during
a 4-month period. The quantification of fungal genomic DNA in naturally contaminated peanut samples was
performed using TaqMan fluorescent probe technology. Sensitivity tests demonstrated that DNA amounts
accounting for a single conidium of A. parasiticus RCP08300 can be detected. A standard curve relating nor-1
copy numbers to colony forming units (cfu) was constructed. Counts of species of Aspergillus section
Flavi from unknown samples obtained by molecular and conventional count (CC) methodologies were
compared. A correlation between cfu data obtained by RT-PCR and CC methods was observed (r=0.613;
p