Different Antimycotoxin Strategies

A special issue of Journal of Fungi (ISSN 2309-608X). This special issue belongs to the section "Fungal Cell Biology, Metabolism and Physiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2021) | Viewed by 30916

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Guest Editor
Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, IMBIV-CONICET, Córdoba, Argentina
Interests: natural products; mycotoxins; antifungal compounds; biopesticides
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Contamination of food with mycotoxins can have a very detrimental effect on the health of consumers, humans, and animals. This Special Issue will focus on different strategies for the control of mycotoxins. We aim to cover the effect of good agricultural practices, manufacturing techniques, and food preservation systems and their relationship with the presence of mycotoxins in food. We hope to include articles describing new methodologies for the elimination of mycotoxins from food, such as nanotechnology-based adsorbents. We also hope to include articles describing natural products, particularly those that are part of food, that are useful for controlling the production of mycotoxins. Possible strategies could include biological control as a tool for avoiding the production of mycotoxins in environmentally friendly agriculture. Finally, we will also include articles on the new regulations that exist in different agro-producing and consuming countries in this field.

Prof. Dr. Julio Alberto Zygadlo
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • mycotoxins
  • mycotoxin control
  • management strategies

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 336 KiB  
Article
Antifungal and Antiaflatoxinogenic Effects of Cymbopogon citratus, Cymbopogon nardus, and Cymbopogon schoenanthus Essential Oils Alone and in Combination
by Ignace Sawadogo, Adama Paré, Donatien Kaboré, Didier Montet, Noël Durand, Jalloul Bouajila, Elisabeth P. Zida, Hagrétou Sawadogo-Lingani, Philippe Augustin Nikiéma, Roger Honorat Charles Nebié and Imaël Henri Nestor Bassolé
J. Fungi 2022, 8(2), 117; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof8020117 - 26 Jan 2022
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 4190
Abstract
The antifungal and antiaflatoxinogenic activities of the essential oils (EOs) from the leaves of Cymbopogon schoenanthus, Cymbopogon citratus, Cymbopogon nardus, and their pair combinations were investigated. Antifungal susceptibility and the efficacy of paired combinations of EOs were assessed using agar [...] Read more.
The antifungal and antiaflatoxinogenic activities of the essential oils (EOs) from the leaves of Cymbopogon schoenanthus, Cymbopogon citratus, Cymbopogon nardus, and their pair combinations were investigated. Antifungal susceptibility and the efficacy of paired combinations of EOs were assessed using agar microdilution and checkerboard methods, respectively. Identification and quantification of chemical components of the EOs were carried out by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-MS and GC-FID), respectively. Aflatoxins were separated and identified by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and then quantified by spectrofluorescence. The EO of C. nardus exhibited the highest inhibitory activity against Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. The combination of C. citratus and C. nardus and that of C. nardus and C. schoenanthus exhibited a synergistic effect against Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus, respectively. Both C. citratus and C. schoenanthus EOs totally inhibited the synthesis of aflatoxin B1 at 1 µL/mL. C. citratus blocked the production of aflatoxins B2 and G2 at 0.5 µL/mL. Both C. citratus and C. schoenanthus totally hampered the production of the aflatoxin G1 at 0.75 µL/mL. The combination of C. citratus and C. schoenanthus completely inhibited the production of the four aflatoxins. The study shows that the combinations can be used to improve their antifungal and antiaflatoxinogenic activities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Different Antimycotoxin Strategies)
17 pages, 2054 KiB  
Article
Agronomic Factors Influencing the Scale of Fusarium Mycotoxin Contamination of Oats
by Oluwatobi Kolawole, Karl De Ruyck, Brett Greer, Julie Meneely, Fiona Doohan, Martin Danaher and Christopher Elliott
J. Fungi 2021, 7(11), 965; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof7110965 - 12 Nov 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3464
Abstract
Seven agronomic factors (crop season, farming system, harvest date, moisture, county, oat variety, and previous crop) were recorded for 202 oat crops grown across Ireland, and samples were analysed by LC-MS/MS for four major Fusarium mycotoxins: deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEN), T-2 toxin and [...] Read more.
Seven agronomic factors (crop season, farming system, harvest date, moisture, county, oat variety, and previous crop) were recorded for 202 oat crops grown across Ireland, and samples were analysed by LC-MS/MS for four major Fusarium mycotoxins: deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEN), T-2 toxin and HT-2 toxin. Type A trichothecenes were present in 62% of crops, with 7.4% exceeding European regulatory limits. DON (6.4%) and ZEN (9.9%) occurrences were relatively infrequent, though one and three samples were measured over their set limits, respectively. Overall, the type of farming system and the previous crop were the main factors identified as significantly influencing mycotoxin prevalence or concentration. Particularly, the adherence to an organic farming system and growing oats after a previous crop of grass were found to decrease contamination by type A trichothecenes. These are important findings and may provide valuable insights for many other types of cereal crops as Europe moves towards a much greater organic-based food system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Different Antimycotoxin Strategies)
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11 pages, 885 KiB  
Article
Antimycotic Effects of 11 Essential Oil Components and Their Combinations on 13 Food Spoilage Yeasts and Molds
by Laura Nißl, Florian Westhaeuser and Matthias Noll
J. Fungi 2021, 7(10), 872; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof7100872 - 16 Oct 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2360
Abstract
Food safety is important to reduce food spoilage microorganisms and foodborne pathogens. However, food safety is challenging, as customers’ demand for natural preservatives is increasing. Essential oils (EOs) and their components (EOCs) are alternative antibacterial and antimycotic food additives. In this study, the [...] Read more.
Food safety is important to reduce food spoilage microorganisms and foodborne pathogens. However, food safety is challenging, as customers’ demand for natural preservatives is increasing. Essential oils (EOs) and their components (EOCs) are alternative antibacterial and antimycotic food additives. In this study, the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 11 different EOCs against 13 food spoilage molds and yeasts were investigated via the microdilution method. Cinnamaldehyde (CA) revealed the lowest MIC for all tested strains and all EOCs (32.81–328.1 µg ml−1). However, CA is organoleptic and was therefore combined with other EOCs via the checkerboard method. Overall, 27 out of 91 combinations showed a synergistic effect, and both respective EOC concentrations could be reduced by maintaining MIC. Thereby, the combination with citral or citronellal showed promising results. The concentration-dependent effect of CA was studied in further detail on Saccharomyces cerevisiae, with CA causing delayed growth-kinetics and reduced total cell numbers. In addition, flow cytometric measurements combined with live–dead staining indicate the fungicidal effect of CA, due to decreasing total cell numbers and increasing relative amount of propidium iodide-positive cells. In this study, we demonstrated that CA is a potent candidate for the use as a natural preservative against food-relevant mold and yeasts showing fungistatic and fungicidal effects. Therefore, CA and EOC combinations with respective lower EOC concentrations reduce organoleptic reservations, which ease their application in the food industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Different Antimycotoxin Strategies)
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29 pages, 8548 KiB  
Article
Biocontrol Agents: Toolbox for the Screening of Weapons against Mycotoxigenic Fusarium
by Lucile Pellan, Cheikh Ahmeth Tidiane Dieye, Noël Durand, Angélique Fontana, Caroline Strub and Sabine Schorr-Galindo
J. Fungi 2021, 7(6), 446; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof7060446 - 3 Jun 2021
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4342
Abstract
The aim of this study was to develop a set of experiments to screen and decipher the mechanisms of biocontrol agents (BCAs), isolated from commercial formulation, against two major mycotoxigenic fungi in cereals, Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium verticillioides. These two phytopathogens produce [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was to develop a set of experiments to screen and decipher the mechanisms of biocontrol agents (BCAs), isolated from commercial formulation, against two major mycotoxigenic fungi in cereals, Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium verticillioides. These two phytopathogens produce mycotoxins harmful to human and animal health and are responsible for the massive use of pesticides, for the protection of cereals. It is therefore essential to better understand the mechanisms of action of alternative control strategies such as the use of BCAs in order to optimize their applications. The early and late stages of interaction between BCAs and pathogens were investigated from germination of spores to the effects on perithecia (survival form of pathogen). The analysis of antagonist activities of BCAs revealed different strategies of biocontrol where chronological, process combination and specialization aspects of interactions are discussed. Streptomyces griseoviridis main strategy is based on antibiosis with the secretion of several compounds with anti-fungal and anti-germination activity, but also a mixture of hydrolytic enzymes to attack pathogens, which compensates for an important deficit in terms of spatial colonization capacity. It has good abilities in terms of nutritional competition. Trichoderma asperellum is capable of activating a very wide range of defenses and attacks combining the synthesis of various antifungal compounds (metabolite, enzymes, VOCs), with different targets (spores, mycelium, mycotoxins), and direct action by mycoparasitism and mycophagy. Concerning Pythium oligandrum, its efficiency is mainly due to its strong capacity to colonize the environment, with a direct action via microbial predation, stimulation of its reproduction at the contact of pathogens and the reduction of perithecia formation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Different Antimycotoxin Strategies)
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19 pages, 5384 KiB  
Article
Investigation of the Antifungal and Anti-Aflatoxigenic Potential of Plant-Based Essential Oils against Aspergillus flavus in Peanuts
by Premila Narayana Achar, Pham Quyen, Emmanuel C. Adukwu, Abhishek Sharma, Huggins Zephaniah Msimanga, Hanumanthu Nagaraja and Marikunte Yanjarappa Sreenivasa
J. Fungi 2020, 6(4), 383; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof6040383 - 21 Dec 2020
Cited by 38 | Viewed by 6025
Abstract
Aspergillus species are known to cause damage to food crops and are associated with opportunistic infections in humans. In the United States, significant losses have been reported in peanut production due to contamination caused by the Aspergillus species. This study evaluated the antifungal [...] Read more.
Aspergillus species are known to cause damage to food crops and are associated with opportunistic infections in humans. In the United States, significant losses have been reported in peanut production due to contamination caused by the Aspergillus species. This study evaluated the antifungal effect and anti-aflatoxin activity of selected plant-based essential oils (EOs) against Aspergillus flavus in contaminated peanuts, Tifguard, runner type variety. All fifteen essential oils, tested by the poisoned food technique, inhibited the growth of A. flavus at concentrations ranging between 125 and 4000 ppm. The most effective oils with total clearance of the A. flavus on agar were clove (500 ppm), thyme (1000 ppm), lemongrass, and cinnamon (2000 ppm) EOs. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of clove EO revealed eugenol (83.25%) as a major bioactive constituent. An electron microscopy study revealed that clove EO at 500 ppm caused noticeable morphological and ultrastructural alterations of the somatic and reproductive structures. Using both the ammonia vapor (AV) and coconut milk agar (CMA) methods, we not only detected the presence of an aflatoxigenic form of A. flavus in our contaminated peanuts, but we also observed that aflatoxin production was inhibited by clove EO at concentrations between 500 and 2000 ppm. In addition, we established a correlation between the concentration of clove EO and AFB1 production by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). We demonstrate in our study that clove oil could be a promising natural fungicide for an effective bio-control, non-toxic bio-preservative, and an eco-friendly alternative to synthetic additives against A. flavus in Georgia peanuts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Different Antimycotoxin Strategies)
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Review

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20 pages, 1092 KiB  
Review
Current Perspectives of Biocontrol Agents for Management of Fusarium verticillioides and Its Fumonisin in Cereals—A Review
by Deepa N, Premila N. Achar and Marikunte Y. Sreenivasa
J. Fungi 2021, 7(9), 776; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof7090776 - 18 Sep 2021
Cited by 35 | Viewed by 5321
Abstract
Fusarium verticillioides is the most predominant fungal phytopathogen of cereals and it is posing great concern from a global perspective. The fungus is mainly associated with maize, rice, sorghum, wheat, sugarcane, banana, and asparagus and causes cob, stalk, ear, root, crown, top, and [...] Read more.
Fusarium verticillioides is the most predominant fungal phytopathogen of cereals and it is posing great concern from a global perspective. The fungus is mainly associated with maize, rice, sorghum, wheat, sugarcane, banana, and asparagus and causes cob, stalk, ear, root, crown, top, and foot rot. F. verticillioides produces fumonisins as the major secondary metabolite along with trace levels of beauvericin, fusaric acid, fusarin C, gibberiliformin, and moniliformin. Being a potential carcinogen, fumonisins continue to receive major attention as they are common contaminants in cereals and its processed food products. The importance of elimination of F. verticillioides growth and its associated fumonisin from cereals cannot be overemphasized considering the significant health hazards associated with its consumption. Physical and chemical approaches have been shown to reduce fumonisin B1 concentrations among feeds and food products but have proved to be ineffective during the production process. Hence, biological control methods using microorganisms, plant extracts, antioxidants, essential oils, phenolic compounds, and other advanced technologies such as growing disease-resistant crops by applying genetic engineering, have become an effective alternative for managing F. verticillioides and its toxin. The different methods, challenges, and concerns regarding the biocontrol of F. verticillioides and production of fumonisin B1 have been addressed in the present review. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Different Antimycotoxin Strategies)
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25 pages, 476 KiB  
Review
Mycotoxins Biocontrol Methods for Healthier Crops and Stored Products
by Kristina Habschied, Vinko Krstanović, Zvonimir Zdunić, Jurislav Babić, Krešimir Mastanjević and Gabriella Kanižai Šarić
J. Fungi 2021, 7(5), 348; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof7050348 - 29 Apr 2021
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 3978
Abstract
Contamination of crops with phytopathogenic genera such as Fusarium, Aspergillus, Alternaria, and Penicillium usually results in mycotoxins in the stored crops or the final products (bread, beer, etc.). To reduce the damage and suppress the fungal growth, it is common [...] Read more.
Contamination of crops with phytopathogenic genera such as Fusarium, Aspergillus, Alternaria, and Penicillium usually results in mycotoxins in the stored crops or the final products (bread, beer, etc.). To reduce the damage and suppress the fungal growth, it is common to add antifungal substances during growth in the field or storage. Many of these antifungal substances are also harmful to human health and the reduction of their concentration would be of immense importance to food safety. Many eminent researchers are seeking a way to reduce the use of synthetic antifungal compounds and to implement more eco-friendly and healthier bioweapons against fungal proliferation and mycotoxin synthesis. This paper aims to address the recent advances in the effectiveness of biological antifungal compounds application against the aforementioned fungal genera and their species to enhance the protection of ecological and environmental systems involved in crop growing (water, soil, air) and to reduce fungicide contamination of food derived from these commodities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Different Antimycotoxin Strategies)
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