REDUCTION OF AFLATOXIN CONTAMINATION IN NUTMEG COATED WITH CLOVE OIL, PROPYLPARABEN, AND POTASSIUM SORBATE FORMULA

Abstract

<p class="abstrakinggris">Aflatoxin contamination caused by <em>Aspergillus flavus</em> in nutmeg has become a severe export obstacle. The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of coating formula to reduce <em>A. flavus</em> contamination in nutmeg seeds. Cleaned and dried nutmeg seeds were coated with a coating formula containing propylparaben, potassium sorbate, and clove oil, then challenged by spraying with <em>A. flavus</em> conidia suspension.  The treated seeds were incubated in humid plastic boxes. The colonization of <em>A. flavus</em> on the seeds was visually assessed after treatment. Aflatoxin contamination, the residue of propylparaben, and potassium sorbate were analyzed using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The results showed that total aflatoxin in the shelled nutmeg seeds without coating was 471.69 µg kg<sup>-1, </sup>which is much higher than that in the coated seeds with formula (4.22 µg kg<sup>-1</sup>). Also, aflatoxin B1 was 462.10 µg kg<sup>-1</sup> in the uncoated shelled seeds compared with that in the coated seeds (3.71 µg kg<sup>-1</sup>).  In the unshelled nutmeg seeds without coating, total aflatoxin and aflatoxin B1 contaminations were higher (376.06 µg kg<sup>-1</sup> and 342.84 µg kg<sup>-1</sup>, respectively) than that in the coated seeds (3.00 µg kg<sup>-1</sup> and 2.74 µg kg<sup>-1</sup>). Propylparaben residue in the coated nutmeg seeds was undetected, while, the potassium sorbate residue was detected as much as 30.86 mg kg<sup>-1</sup> in shelled and coated nutmeg seeds.  The study showed that the coating formula was effective in reducing aflatoxin contamination in shelled and unshelled nutmeg seeds. </p>