In vitro control of growth and ochratoxin A production by butylated hydroxyanisole in Aspergillus section Nigri species

This study was carried out to determine the efficacy of phenolic antioxidant butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) under different interacting water activity (aW) and temperature regimes on the lag phase and growth rate by Aspergillus section Nigri strains. In this experiment four A. section Nigri strains were used. Peanut meal extract agar (PMEA) was prepared at 2%. The aW of the medium was adjusted to 0.995, 0.980 and 0.930, BHA at 1, 5, 10 and 20 mmol l−1 was added to the basic medium. The plates were inoculated and incubated for 30 days at 18 and 25 °C. Radial growth rates (mm d−1) and lag phase (h) were calculated. In control treatments, the growth rate decreased as water activity reduced in all strains assayed. At all aW levels tested, BHA at 20 mmol l−1 completely inhibited growth. In general, at 10 mmol l−1 and 0.995 and 0.980aW level, a significant reduction respect to control was observed. This antioxidant completely inhibited OTA production, at concentrations of 20 mmol l−1, regardless of aW used by all the strains evaluated.