Physico-chemical characteristics and aflatoxins production of Atractylodis Rhizoma to different storage temperatures and humidities

Qiutao Liu,Weijun Kong,Lingling Jiang,Lihe Xiao

doi:10.1186/s13568-021-01316-3

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the characteristics, moisture contents, chemical fingerprints changes and aflatoxins accumulation of Atractylodis rhizoma during storage, further to determine the optimum temperature and relative humidity conditions. Based on the suitable temperature (20–40 °C) and relative humidity (80–95%), 13 different temperature and humidity conditions were set up by the central composite design-response surface methodology (CCD-RSM) for Aspergillus flavus. After inoculation with Aspergillus flavus by artificial infection, A. rhizoma samples were stored under normal conditions and 13 different temperature and relative humidity levels. By taking the changes of characteristics, the contents of moisture, chemical fingerprints and aflatoxins as the evaluation indexes for A. rhizoma with or without Aspergillus flavus fungi to optimize the optimal storage conditions. After storage for 10 days, the color of A. rhizoma was deepened, the water content and chemical composition increased, and some unknown components were detected. The susceptible condition for aflatoxins production in A. rhizoma was identified at temperature 22–37 °C and relative humidity over 87.5%. Thus, the suitable storage conditions for A. rhizoma should be controlled at temperature below 20 °C and relative humidity less than 85%. This paper screened out the optimum temperature and humidity for the storage of A. rhizoma. Then, the storage specification for A. rhizoma was proposed, lying technical and data support for the scientific preservation of other food or herbs.

Highlights

The quality and safety of foods and traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) are extremely important for their clinical application, and scientific storage to prevent mildew and mycotoxins contamination is the basis and premise
This study aimed to first investigate the toxigenic fungi growth and aflatoxins production in A. rhizoma under various humidity and temperature conditions according to the central composite design-response surface methodology (CCD-RSM) (Kumar et al 2016; Duangjit et al 2015; Norioko et al 2013), to explore the relationship of mycotoxins accumulation determined by using an ultra-fast liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (UFLC-MS/MS) method and bioactive components variation measured by introducing a gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GCFID) technique, and naturally to elucidate fungal contamination and mycotoxins production affected the internal and external quality of this TCM for screening for the most suitable temperature and humidity conditions for safe storage of A. rhizoma
Zhou et al (2014) have illustrated that fungal contamination and mycotoxins residue will lead to the content reduction of the active components in TCMs, which might influence the inherent quality and safety of this TCM

Summary

Introduction

The quality and safety of foods and traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) are extremely important for their clinical application, and scientific storage to prevent mildew and mycotoxins contamination is the basis and premise. Aflatoxins (AFs) produced by Aspergillus strains, due to their strong liver and kidney toxicity and high incidence in many food and agricultural products, and TCM matrices, have attracted much attention (Ali 2019; Martins et al 2020). They have been listed as the most dangerous food hazards in nature by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the World Health Organization (WHO) (World Health Organization 2007–2015). The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified A FB1 as Group 1A carcinogen (International Agency for Research on Cancer [IARC] 1999)

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