Exposure of aflatoxin-producing cultures of Aspergillus flavus to different
pulsed electric field (PEF), reduced B1 and G1 toxin production. In recently
inoculated cultures, continuous as well as 12 hrs exposure, every two days, to 50 Hz
PEF resulted in the highest toxin decrease. Exposure of four-day old cultures to 0.50
and 50 Hz., as a daily treatment for 0.5-24 hr, reduced production by 75.53 and
82.75%, respectively. Increasing PEF from 100 to 400 Hz caused slight decrease in
production, through the remarkable increase at 800 Hz. The highest amounts of
aflatoxins B1 and G1 were associated with applying PEF strengths of 500 and 400
Hz., respectively. The multiple exposure at different PEF ranging from 800 to 500 Hz
decreased production by 99.0% maximum. It is worth to note that the B1 aflatoxin
was undetectable at different combined PEF strengths. Multiple exposure of yellow
corn grains over 21 days to a combined treatment reduced the amount of aflatoxin, in
either non-inoculated or in grains inoculated with A. flavus, compared to the check.
Negligible changes were observed in protein and carbohydrates contents of the treated
grains. |
