TY - JOUR
T1 - Organic acids suppress aflatoxin production via lowering expression of aflatoxin biosynthesis-related genes in Aspergillus flavus
AU - Moon, Young Sun
AU - Kim, Hyeong Mi
AU - Chun, Hyang Sook
AU - Lee, Sung Eun
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2018/6
Y1 - 2018/6
N2 - Aflatoxins are naturally occurring carcinogens. Humans and animals, such as turkeys, are highly susceptible to aflatoxin-induced diseases. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effects of 5 food additives on the growth and aflatoxin production in Aspergillus flavus ATCC 22546. Propionic acid completely inhibited fungal growth at a concentration of 0.5%. Furthermore, no fungal growth was observed when the growth medium was treated with 0.05% benzoic acid, 0.1% sorbic acid, 0.5% acetic acid, or 0.5% butyric acid. In comparison to propionic acid, other food additives showed weak antifungal activities. Propionic acid, butyric acid, benzoic acid, and sorbic acid also exhibited potent antiaflatoxigenic activities at a concentration of 0.1%. However, addition of 0.1% acetic acid did not inhibit aflatoxin production. At a concentration of 0.05%, propionic acid lost its antiaflatoxigenic activity, whereas at the same concentration, benzoic acid, butyric acid, and sorbic acid showed potent antiaflatoxigenic activities with a 95% inhibition of aflatoxin production. Benzoic acid drastically inhibited the expression of genes related to aflatoxin biosynthesis, whereas sorbic acid only inhibited the expression of a transcription gene, yab. Collectively, our results suggest that benzoic acid is promising alternative to propionic acid as food preservatives.
AB - Aflatoxins are naturally occurring carcinogens. Humans and animals, such as turkeys, are highly susceptible to aflatoxin-induced diseases. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effects of 5 food additives on the growth and aflatoxin production in Aspergillus flavus ATCC 22546. Propionic acid completely inhibited fungal growth at a concentration of 0.5%. Furthermore, no fungal growth was observed when the growth medium was treated with 0.05% benzoic acid, 0.1% sorbic acid, 0.5% acetic acid, or 0.5% butyric acid. In comparison to propionic acid, other food additives showed weak antifungal activities. Propionic acid, butyric acid, benzoic acid, and sorbic acid also exhibited potent antiaflatoxigenic activities at a concentration of 0.1%. However, addition of 0.1% acetic acid did not inhibit aflatoxin production. At a concentration of 0.05%, propionic acid lost its antiaflatoxigenic activity, whereas at the same concentration, benzoic acid, butyric acid, and sorbic acid showed potent antiaflatoxigenic activities with a 95% inhibition of aflatoxin production. Benzoic acid drastically inhibited the expression of genes related to aflatoxin biosynthesis, whereas sorbic acid only inhibited the expression of a transcription gene, yab. Collectively, our results suggest that benzoic acid is promising alternative to propionic acid as food preservatives.
KW - Aflatoxins
KW - Antiaflatoxigenic activity
KW - Aspergillus flavus
KW - Benzoic acid
KW - Organic acids
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85044521179&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.foodcont.2018.01.017
DO - 10.1016/j.foodcont.2018.01.017
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85044521179
SN - 0956-7135
VL - 88
SP - 207
EP - 216
JO - Food Control
JF - Food Control
ER -