Food-grade antioxidants and antimicrobials to control growth and ochratoxin a production by Aspergillus section Nigri on peanut kernels.

Each year, a significant portion of the peanuts produced cannot be marketed because of fungal disease at the postharvest stage and mycotoxin contamination. Antioxidants could be used as an alternative to fungicides to control ochratoxigenic fungi in peanuts during storage. This study was carried out to determine the effect of the antioxidant butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and the antimicrobial propyl paraben (PP) on the lag phase before growth, growth rate, and ochratoxin A (OTA) production by Aspergillus section Nigri strains in peanut kernels under different conditions of water activity (aw) and temperature. At 20 mM/g BHA, 18 degrees C, and 0.93 aw, complete inhibition of growth occurred. For PP, there was no growth at 20 mM/g, 18 degrees C, and 0.93, 0.95, and 0.98 aw. BHA at 20 mM/g inhibited OTA production in peanuts by Aspergillus carbonarius and Aspergillus niger aggregate strains at 0.93 aw and 18 degrees C. PP at 20 mM/g completely inhibited OTA production at 18 degrees C. The results of this work suggest that PP is more appropriate than BHA for controlling growth and OTA production by Aspergillus section Nigri species in peanut kernels.