Use of Natural Products on the Control of Aspergillus flavus and Production of Aflatoxins In Vitro and on Tomato Fruit.

Mario Alberto Segura-Palacios,Maria Luisa Corona-Rangel,Dolores Azucena Salazar-Piña,Margarita de Lorena Ramos-García,Ollin Celeste Martinez-Ramirez,Zormy Nacary Correa-Pacheco,Silvia Bautista-Baños

doi:10.3390/plants10122553

Mario Alberto Segura-Palacios, Maria Luisa Corona-Rangel + Show 5 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10122553

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Abstract

Aspergillus flavus affects fresh and dry fruit and vegetable products, and its toxic metabolites, namely aflatoxins, cause serious damage in humans. The objective of this research study was to evaluate the effect of commercial natural products as well as edible and nanostructured chitosan coatings on the development of A. flavus and on the production of aflatoxins in vitro and in tomato. Treatments were as follows: chitosan 1%, chitosan coating, chitosan nanostructured coating, Citrocover 1% (citrus seed extract), Resinadher 0.5% (pine resin extract), mancozeb 2%, and water. The variables were as follows: halo inhibition, spore production, and aflatoxins content. In fruit, the following were evaluated: disease incidence, mycelial growth, and aflatoxin production. An ANOVA (Tukey: p < 0.05) was used. In vitro results showed that Citrocover and Resinadher reduced sporulation (0.2 and 0.9 × 105 spores mL−1, respectively), while chitosan inhibited the production of aflatoxins. With Resinadher and Citrocover, tomato fruit had the lowest incidence, mycelial growth, and aflatoxin production with corresponding values of 0%, 0.0 cm2, and 0.95 ppb, respectively, and 7%, 0.2 cm2, and 1.77 ppb, respectively. The use of Citrocover and Resinadher could be a viable alternative to decrease the development of A. flavus in tomato fruit.

Highlights

Published: 23 November 2021Tomato is a perishable fruit and can be contaminated by microorganisms mainly during storage
This is due to the high storage temperatures, increase in relative humidity, and increase in contact with fruit contaminated with microorganisms
Buchanan et al [5] carried out an investigation in figs contaminated by A. flavus and reported the presence of aflatoxins in all the ripening stages of the fruit, in which the concentrations were higher when the fruit was fully ripe (28 μg/g of fruit)

Summary

Introduction

Tomato is a perishable fruit and can be contaminated by microorganisms mainly during storage. The fungi Alternaria alternata, Rhizopus stolonifer, Colletotrichum gloeosporiodes, and Aspergillus flavus can contaminate tomatoes during storage, causing physical damage to the fruit. Aspergillus flavus, in addition to causing physical damage to the fruit, produces toxic secondary metabolites for the human body called aflatoxins [1]. Buchanan et al [5] carried out an investigation in figs contaminated by A. flavus and reported the presence of aflatoxins in all the ripening stages of the fruit, in which the concentrations were higher when the fruit was fully ripe (28 μg/g of fruit). Baiyewu et al [6] reported the presence of A. flavus and aflatoxins in papaya fruit, especially in those showing symptoms of microorganisms’ infection, while Maroutti [7] reported the Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations

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