Abstract
The grain contamination by Aspergillus spp. has been a serious issue. This study exhibited the excellent antifungal effects of the essential oil compounds (EOCs) geraniol and citral against common grain pathogens (A. flavus and A. ochraceus) in vitro and in situ. The inhibitory mechanisms were also evaluated from the perspective of cell membrane permeability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and Aspergillus spp. growth-related gene expression. Meanwhile, the combined effects of EOCs in the vapor phase and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) were examined to find an alternative preservation method for controlling Aspergillus spp. The results indicated that citral exhibited the antifungal activity mainly by downregulating the sporulation- and growth-related genes for both pathogens. Geraniol displayed inhibitory effectiveness against A. flavus predominantly by inducing the intracellular ROS accumulation and showed toxicity against A. ochraceus principally by changing cell membrane permeability. Furthermore, the synthetic effects of EOCs and MAP (75% CO2 and 25% N2) induced better grain quality than the current commercial fumigant AlP. These findings reveal that EOCs have potential to be a novel grain preservative for further application.
Highlights
Grain is a precious resource for mankind’s survival, and it is a country’s economic lifeline.during the storage period, food may become corrupted and inedible, resulting in substantial economic losses and threatening human life
A possible explanation for this is that some essential oil compounds (EOCs) have a special mode of action for some specific microbes
Geraniol and citral significantly inhibited mycelial growth (p < 0.05) and exhibited higher inhibition rates for two strains compared to other treatments
Summary
Grain is a precious resource for mankind’s survival, and it is a country’s economic lifeline. During the storage period, food may become corrupted and inedible, resulting in substantial economic losses and threatening human life. The causes of food deterioration include pests and molds, especially in developing countries. Fungal contamination of stored seeds and grains is a serious chronic problem in the Indian storage system due to the tropical and humid climate [1]. Harvested grains are prone to infestations of different types of Aspergillus spp., resulting in spoilage and mycotoxin contamination under particular conditions. Aspergillus spp. are the most typical cereal spoilage fungal species and can produce some toxic secondary metabolites such as mycotoxins in food and feedstuff
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