Natural maize phenolic acids for control of aflatoxigenic fungi on maize.

Natural phytochemicals may be an alternative to synthetic chemicals for controlling fungal growth and mycotoxin production in stored maize. A key to progress in this field is to select the best natural maize phytochemicals to be applied in a storage maize ecosystem. This research was undertaken to evaluate the effects of the natural phytochemicals trans-cinnamic acid (CA) and ferulic acid (FA) alone at concentrations of 20 to 30 mM and in 5 combinations on Aspergillus flavus Link and A. parasiticus Speare populations and aflatoxin B(1) production. Studies on Aspergillus population and aflatoxin B(1) production were carried out in maize grain in relation to a water activity a(w) of 0.99, 0.97, 0.95, and 0.93. CA and FA at concentrations of 25 to 30 mM, respectively, and CA-FA mixture T9 (25 + 30 mM) were the treatments most effective at inhibiting A. flavus and A. parasiticus population at all a(w) assayed after 11 d of incubation. At all a(w) values, the mixture CA-FA T9 (25 + 30 mM) completely inhibited (100%) aflatoxin B(1) production by both strains at a(w)= 0.99, 0.97, 0.95, and 0.93. Decreased aflatoxin B(1) levels in comparison with the control were observed with mixtures CA-FA T6 (10 + 25 mM), T7 (20 + 20 mM), and T8 (20 + 30 mM) of both strains in the majority of a(w) assayed. The data show that CA and FA could be considered as effective fungitoxicants for A. flavus and A. parasiticus in maize in the a(w) range 0.99 to 0.93. The information obtained shows promise for controlling aflatoxigenic fungi in stored maize.