Effect of antioxidant and competing mycoflora on Fusarium verticillioides and F. prolifertum popultions and fumonisin production on maize grain

FARNOCHI M.C.; TORRES, A.; MAGAN, N.; CHULZE, S. N.

JOURNAL OF STORED PRODUCTS RESEARCH

Elsevier

Año: 2005 vol. 41 p. 211 - 219

0022-474X

This study was carried aout to determine the temporal effect of the antioxidants butylated hydroxyanisol (BHA) and propyl paraben (PP) at doses of 500 and 1000 µg/g on the growth of Fsuarium verticillioides and F. proliferatum inoculated on natural maize grain in the presence of the competing mycoflora and fumonisins production at 0.98 and 0.95 water activity (aw<) over 28 day storage period. The reduction in the log colony forming units (CFU) of Penicillium , Aspergillus and Fusarium populations was 10-100 fold depending on the dose of BHA or PP, aw and time. However , the population s of all three groups were higher at 0.98 aw thatn 0.95 aw. BHA ast 500 ug/g and 0.95 aw reduced the fumonisins content by 82% after 7-14 days incubation, but at the end of the experimental period the reduction was only 32%. A higher reduction in the level of fumonisins produced (77%) was achieved with BHA at 1000 ug/g after 28 days. PP at 500 and 1000 ug/g decreased fumonisins production throughout the incubation period in the drier treatment , but at 0.98 aw control of toxin production was only achieved after 7-14 days. The reduction in the fumonisins levels could be due to the combined effect of the antixoxidants, and the competing  mycoflora, mainly Aspergillus and Penicillium species .