Penicillium expansum growth and production of patulin in the presence of benzoic acid and its derivatives.

This study was conducted in order to evaluate the influence of benzoic acid and its derivatives: o-nitrobenzoic acid, o- and p-aminobenzoic acids, o-hydroxybenzoic acid, acetylsalicylic acid, cinnamic acid and aldehyde, methyl and ethyl esters of benzoic acid, methyl ester of p-hydroxybenzoic acid and ethyl ester of p-aminobenzoic acid on the growth and the ability to produce patulin by Penicillium expansum. The growth of the mycelium and its ability to produce patulin in the liquid enriched Czapek medium, and the dynamics of its linear growth and sporulation, on the Sabouraud medium with addition of the above mentioned compounds were evaluated. Benzoic acid and most of its derivatives, within the studied range of concentrations, limited the growth of the microfungus, while methyl ester of benzoic acid and o-aminobenzoic acid stimulated its growth.