Mycotoxicogenic fungal inhibition by innovative cheese cover with aromatic plants

BACKGROUND: The use of aromatic plants and their extracts with antimicrobial properties may be compromised in the case of cheese, as some type of fungal starter is needed during its production. Penicillium verrucosum is considered a common cheese spoiler. The aim of this study was to evaluate the innovative use of certain aromatic plants as natural cheese covers in order to prevent mycotoxicogenic fungal growth (P. verrucosum). A collection of 12 essential oils (EOs) was obtained from various aromatic plants by solvent‐free microwave extraction technology, and volatile characterisation of the EOs was carried out by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. RESULTS: The most effective EOs against P. verrucosum were obtained from Anethum graveolens, Hyssopus officinalis and Chamaemelum nobile, yielding 50% inhibition of fungal growth at concentration values lower than 0.02 µL mL^?1. All EOs showed high volatile heterogeneity, with α‐phellandrene, pinocamphone, isopinocamphone, α‐pinene, camphene, 1,8‐cineole, carvacrol and trans‐anethole being found to be statistically significant in the antifungal model. CONCLUSION: The use of these aromatic plants as natural covers on cheese can satisfactorily inhibit the growth of some mycotoxicogenic fungal spoilers. Among the volatile compounds present, α‐ and β‐phellandrene were confirmed as the most relevant in the inhibition. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Production and Characterization of an Antifungal Compound (3-Phenyllactic Acid) Produced by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactobacillus plantarum</Emphasis> Strain

The Lactobacillus plantarum strain was isolated from grass silage that produces a broad spectrum of antifungal compound, active against food and feed-borne filamentous fungi in agar plate assay. Aspergillus fumigatus and Rhizopus stolonifer were the most sensitive among molds. No inhibitory activity could be detected against mold Penicillium roqueforti. Enhanced antifungal activity was observed at 30 °C in pH 6.5. Minimum inhibitory concentration values against fungal cultures were ranged from 6.5 to 12.0 mg/ml for commercial 3-phenyllactic acid. The production of antifungal compound phenyllactic acid (PLA), lactic acid, and acetic acid by L. plantarum strain was also investigated. Structure characterization of the antifungal compound was carried out by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and gas chromatography. The produced compound (PLA) acted as a fungistatic and delayed the growth of a variety of fungal contaminants.     

Exploration of Islamic medicine plant extracts as powerful antifungals for the prevention of mycotoxigenic Aspergilli growth in organic silage

BACKGROUND: Feed contamination with mycotoxins is a major risk factor for animals and humans as several toxins can exist as residues in meat and milk products, giving rise to carry‐over to consumers via ingestion of foods of animal origin. The starting point for prevention, in this chain, is to eliminate the growth of mycotoxigenic fungi in the animal forage. Ten plant extracts, recommended in Islamic medicine, were evaluated as antifungal agents against mycotoxigenic Aspergilli, i.e. Aspergillus flavus and A. ochraceus, growth in organic maize silage. RESULTS: Most extracts had remarkable antifungal activities using both qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods. Cress (Lepidium sativum) seed extract was proven to be the most powerful among the plants examined. Blending of the most effective extracts (garden cress seed, pomegranate peel and olive leaf extracts), individually at their minimal fungicidal concentrations, with maize silage resulted in the reduction of inoculated A. flavus colony counts by 99.9, 99.6 and 98.7%, respectively, whereas silage blending with the combined extracts completely prohibited fungal growth for up to 30 days of incubation under aerobic conditions. CONCLUSION: Besides the health promoting effects, silage blending with the bioactive plant extracts examined could lead to the required protection from pathogenic and mycotoxigenic fungi. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

CORRELATION AMONG METALLIC IONS,PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTION IN MEDICINAL PLANTS EXTRACTS

ABSTRACT

The extracts of three different medicinal plants –Calendula officinalis L., Maytenus ilicifolia Martius ex Reissek and Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf – obtained with 70% and 95% v/v ethanol had their antimicrobial activity tested against five pathogenic microorganisms. A quantitative analysis of total phenols, flavonoids and mineral species was performed on the extracts using UV‐vis spectroscopy and atomic absorption spectroscopy. Klebsiella pneumoniae showed the greatest sensibility to the extracts tested. The mineral content of the medicinal herbs varied according to the type of plant (Cu = not detected to 10.90; Zn = 0.85 to 10.04; Na = 24.94 to 153.62; Al = 90.04 to 420.39; Mg = 9.62 to 1,129.15; Ca = 7.15 to 167.27 and K = 913.85 to 9,578.94 µg/g); however, the concentration of heavy elements (Pb, Cd and Cr) was null in the extracts. The concentrations of flavonoids ranged from 13.55 to 41.54 mg/g and 92.35 to 518.28 mg/g for phenolic acids.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

The use of plants with pharmacological activities has increased significantly because of their functional properties in the diet for the promotion of human health and antimicrobial effects. Moreover, medicinal herbs play an important role in public health, especially in developing countries. In Brazil, the use of plant extracts in the treatment of certain diseases is very common. This habit can be explained, at least in part, by the belief that herbs with therapeutic effects do not have toxic effects on the organism. In this paper, ethanolic extracts of three medicinal plants, widely cultivated and used by the population of Brazil and worldwide, had their levels of metals ions and total phenolic compounds determined. Antimicrobial activity of the extracts was evaluated against foodborne pathogens or food spoilage organisms or clinically isolates microorganisms.

     

Inhibition of heat resistant molds: Aspergillus fumigatus and Paecilomyces variotii by some plant essential oils

In this study, the inhibitory properties of some essential oils including citrus (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck), laurel (Laurus nobilis L.), myrtle (Myrtus communis L.), oregano (Origanum vulgare L.), and savory (Satureja thymbra L.) were investigated against the heat resistant molds Aspergillus fumigatus and Paecilomyces variotii isolated from margarine in a previous study in order to assess the potential for using these essential oils as a natural food preservative. In this study, the essential oils of the plants were obtained by steam distillation using Clevenger apparatus and were tested for antifungal activities at 0.25, 0.50, and 1.00% concentrations. Inhibitory effects of the essential oils on the growth of the fungi followed the sequence: oregano=citrus>savory>laurel>myrtle. P. variotii was more resistant against the essential oils than A. fumigatus.     

Antifungal property of the essential oils and their constituents from Cinnamomum osmophloeum leaf against tree pathogenic fungi

This study compares the chemical constituents of leaf essential oils from various geographical provenances of Cinnamomum osmophloeum and investigates their antifungal activities against six tree pathogenic fungi. According to GC‐MS and cluster analyses, the leaf essential oils obtained from different geographical provenances and their relative contents were classified into six chemotypes: cinnamaldehyde type, cinnamaldehyde–cinnamyl acetate type, cinnamyl acetate type, linalool type, camphor type, and mixed type. Results from the antifungal tests show that the leaf essential oils of cinnamaldehyde type and cinnamaldehyde–cinnamyl acetate type have excellent inhibitory effect against Rhizoctonia solani, Collectotrichum gloeosporioides, Ganoderma australe and Fusarium solani. Furthermore, among the fourteen constituents of C osmophloeum leaf essential oils, Z‐cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, geraniol and citral display the best antifungal properties. Comparisons of the antifungal properties of Z‐cinnamaldehyde congeners reveal that Z‐cinnamaldehyde exhibits the best antifungal property of this group. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry     

Antimicrobial activity of Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis) aqueous extracts against Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract: Bioactive compounds from natural plant sources are becoming increasingly important to the food industry. Ilex paraguariensis is used in the preparation of a widely popular tea beverage (Yerba Mate) in the countries of Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil. In this study, extracts of 4 brands of commercial tea, derived from the holly plant species, Ilex paraguariensis, were evaluated for their ability to inhibit or inactivate bacterial foodborne pathogens. The ultimate goal was to evaluate potential use of the extracts in commercial applications. Dialyzed aqueous extracts were screened for antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Staphylococcus aureus. S. aureus was found to be the more sensitive to extracts than E. coli O157:H7. Minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) were determined to be approximately 150 to 800 μg/mL and 25 to 50 μg/mL against E. coli O157:H7 and S. aureus, respectively. A Uruguayan brand had reduced activity against E. coli O157:H7 compared to the Argentinean brands tested. It was concluded that Yerba Mate could be used as a potential antimicrobial in foods and beverages against these pathogenic bacteria. Practical Application: Soluble extracts from Yerba Mate are natural antimicrobials that can be incorporated into food products to achieve longer shelf life.     

Antifungal activity of Rubus ulmifolius Schott standardized in vitro culture

Vegetables of Rubus species are known to have antimicrobial properties mainly due to its high content in phenolic compounds. Among the 37 potentially pathogenic fungi screened with crude methanolic extract from micropropagated shoots of Rubus ulmifolius Schott, we show that the 70% of the species resulted variably sensitive to methanolic extract. Of the phenolic fractions obtained from the crude methanolic extract by hydrophobic interaction chromatography, those rich in tannins resulted active against the fungal strains tested, whereas those containing chlorogenic, caftaric acid and caffeoyl derivatives resulted partially effective. Our results suggest a potential utilization of the in vitro plant cultures of R. ulmifolius to provide standardized extracts from plant material grown in uniform conditions and available year round, which could be useful as natural antifungal agents.     

Inhibitory effect of seven Allium plants upon three Aspergillus species.

Antifungal activity and minimal fungicidal concentration (MFC) of extracts of garlic, bakeri garlic, Chinese leek, Chinese chive, scallion, onion bulb and shallot bulb against Aspergillus niger, A. flavus and A. fumigatus were examined. These Allium plants possessed antifungal activity, with garlic showing the lowest MFC. With the exception of scallion, the inhibitory effect of Allium plants against three Aspergillus species decreased with increasing incubation and heating temperature (P < 0.05). Acetic acid treatments of the extracts increased the inhibitory effect for all plants against three fungi (P < 0.05), and there was no significant difference in this effect among the three pH (2, 4, 6) treatments (P > 0.05) investigated. Acetic acid, at pH = 4, plus heat treatments of the extracts resulted in a greater inhibitory effect for all Allium plants against the three fungi than heat treatment alone (P < 0.05). Treatments of the extracts with NaCl, at concentrations of 0.2 and 0.4 M, did not affect the inhibitory effect of the plant extracts. The combination of acetic acid plus Allium plants was indicated to be an effective way to inhibit fungal growth.     

Extracts of edible and medicinal plants in inhibition of growth, adherence, and cytotoxin production of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli

Abstract: Campylobacter spp. is recognized as one of the most common cause of food‐borne bacterial gastroenteritis in humans. Campylobacter infection causes campylobacteriosis, which can range from asymptomatic to dysentery‐type illnesses with severe complications, such as Guillian‐Barre syndrome. Epidemiological studies have revealed that consumption of poultry products is an important risk factor of this disease. Adherence and cytotoxic activity of the bacteria to host mucosal surfaces have been proposed to be critical steps in pathogenesis. Innovative tools for controlling Campylobacter, such as natural products from plants, represent good alternatives for use in foods or as therapeutic agents. In this study, 28 edible or medicinal plants species were analyzed for their bactericidal effects on the growth of Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli. The extracts of Acacia farnesiana, Artemisia ludoviciana, Opuntia ficus‐indica, and Cynara scolymus were the most effective against these microorganisms at minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) of 0.3, 0.5, 0.4, and 2.0 mg/mL, respectively. No effect on growth was detected with lower concentrations of extract (25%, 50%, or 75% of the MBC) added to the media. The effect of each extract (75% of the MBC) on adherence and cytotoxicity of C. jejuni and C. coli was evaluated in Vero cells. Adherence of Campylobacter to Vero cells was significantly affected by all the extracts. Cytotoxic activity of bacterial cultures was inhibited by A. farnesiana and A. ludoviciana. These plant extracts are potential candidates to be studied for controlling Campylobacter contamination in foods and the diseases associated with this microorganism. Practical Application: Innovative tools for controlling Campylobacter, such as natural products from plants, represent good alternatives for use in foods or as therapeutic agents. The extracts of Acacia farnesiana, Artemisia ludoviciana, Opuntia ficus‐indica, and Cynara scolymus were the most effective against these microorganisms. Adherence and cytotoxic activity of the bacteria to host mucosal surfaces which are critical steps in pathogenesis were decreased by these extracts. Our results point to these plants as potential candidates for the control of Campylobacter contamination in foods, the treatment of the diseases associated with this microorganism, and as feed supplements to reduce on‐farm prevalence of Campylobacter.     

Antifungal activity of films and solutions based on chitosan against typical seed fungi

The use of eco-freindly polymers as antimicrobial materials is in growth due to the need to reduce the negative impact of conventional treatments on the environment and the human health. The purpose of the present study was to assess the antifungal properties of films and solutions based on chitosan with different molecular weight at different concentrations. Surfactants were added to the formulation to assess their impact on treatment efficiency. The antifungal activity was conducted against tree fungi, Aspergillus niger, Alternaria alternata and Rhizopus oryzae. Results indicated important and significant differences of the antifungal activity between chitosan based solutions and chitosan based films. Furthermore, the antifungal activity of the different treatment depended on the type of fungus treated. Thus, chitosan film treatments were significantly more effective on A. niger than solution treatments. On the other hand, solution treatments resulted in higher radial inhibition when applied against A. alternata or R. oryzae. The highest radial inhibition was observed against A. alternata (97%) using a chitosan solution. The influence of the other parameters (concentration, molecular weight and surfactant type) on treatment efficiency was not as important and their significance depended on treatment type and fungus nature.     

ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF EXTRACTS FROM FAMILY ZINGIBERACEAE AGAINST FOODBORNE PATHOGENS

Chloroformic extracts of selected Thai medicinal plants commonly employed to treat infections were investigated for their antibacterial activity against important foodborne pathogenic bacteria. These included Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin‐resistant S. aureus (MRSA), Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella Typhi and Shigella sp. Among 33 extracts tested, only chloroformic extracts of five plant species exhibited antibacterial properties. Alpinia galanga, Boesenbergia rotunda, Zingiber zerumbet and Piper betel were active against S. aureus. Barleria lupulina was active against B. cereus. Only the extract from P. betel leaves possessed activity against gram‐negative bacteria. As extracts from the three plant species belonging to family Zingiberaceae displayed strong activity against S. aureus, they were further tested against 17 clinical isolates. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of B. rotunda, A. galanga and Z. zerumbet extracts against most clinical S. aureus isolates were 0.01, 0.19 and 0.79 mg/mL and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values were 0.19, 1.57 and >12.5 mg/mL, respectively. Significant growth inhibition of MRSA was observed in the cultures incubated in the presence of the B. rotunda extract, A. galanga and Z. zerumbet. B. rotunda exhibited the greatest activity among the three plant species against S. aureus at MIC, 2MIC and MBC within 2 h.     

STUDIES ON THE MYCOFLORA OF MALT

The mycoflora of malt which caused gushing beer has been investigated and compared with the mycoflora of malt from nine malting plants in Sweden, Denmark, Finland and England. Malt which caused gushing beer was found to contain a high proportion of grains contaminated by Aspergillus, Penicillium and Rhizopus. The commonest species isolated were found to be Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus amstelodami. These fungi occurred on all malt samples investigated independent of their origin. The mycoflora on malt differs greatly from that found on barley. Evidence is presented showing that barley becomes contaminated during the malting process.     

Solvent effects on phenolic contents and biological activities of the halophyte Limoniastrum monopetalum leaves

Limoniastrum monopetalum is a traditional medicinal species which leaf infusion exhibits antidysenteric properties against infectious diseases. In this study, ten kinds of leaf extracts were used to examine the effect of extraction solvent system with varying polarities on polyphenol contents and DPPH scavenging activity. Then the superoxide scavenging activity and the reducing power of the most promising solvent extracts were evaluated too. Moreover, the efficiency of the best leaf extract has been investigated against pathogenic bacteria and yeast. Eventually leaf extract was hydrolyzed by acid and the phenolics identified by RP-HPLC. Results showed that phenolic contents and antioxidant activities varied considerably as function of solvent polarity. Leaf extract using pure methanol showed the highest polyphenol content (15.85 mg GAE/g DW). Moreover, antiradical capacities against DPPH and superoxide, and reducing power were maxima in acetone/water (8:2) of leaf extract. However, the latter showed a slight antimicrobial activity against human pathogen strains such as Staphylococcus aureus, Micrococcus luteus and Candida holmii. The HPLC analysis revealed several phenolic compounds in L. monopetalum leaf including vanillic and gallic acids as major phenolics. Our findings identified the appropriate solvent for extracting halophyte phenolics which might provide a rich and novel source of natural antioxidants as food additives replacing synthetic ones in food industry.     

Evaluation of Different Mexican Plant Extracts to Control Anthracnose

The fungal plant infection caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides known as anthracnose, affects tropical fruits thus causing low yield and poor fruit quality. The antifungal activity of ethanol and chloroform extracts of different Mexican plants jarilla (Baccharis salicifolia), tepozan (Buddleia americana), nanche (Byrsonima cordata), cinco negritos (Lantana camara), Mexican oregano (Lippia berlandieri var. Scanner), and pericon (Tagetes lucida) against C. gloeosporioides were evaluated by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the ethanol and chloroform extracts. Subsequently, an antifungal assay was carried out by determining the inhibition of radial growth in PDA plates added with plant extracts. Jarilla, oregano, and pericon MIC values were 400 mg/L for ethanol extracts and 200 mg/L for chloroform extracts. Tepozan, nanche, and cinco negritos showed no antifungal effect. Concerning the inhibition of radial growth, pericon ethanol extract showed an 84% inhibition; chloroform extracts of jarilla, oregano, and pericon showed 88%, 90%, and 95% inhibition, respectively. The ethanol extracts of oregano and jarilla demonstrated to be inhibitory at the reproductive phase of C. gloeosporioides, while their chloroform extracts have a fungistatic effect.     

三种海藻内生真菌的分离及其抑菌活性研究

从烟台浅海处采集到的鼠尾藻、裙带菜、海带三种海藻表面消毒后用PDA培养基将内生真菌进行分离纯化,将纯化的内生真菌进行液体培养7d后离心,菌丝体烘干研磨后用无水乙醇提取,分别测定发酵液和菌丝体乙醇提取物对七种植物病原真菌的抑菌活性。结果表明:三种发酵液都至少对三种病原菌有大于50%的抑菌活性,裙带菜发酵液对六种病原菌都有大于50%的抑菌率,最高为78.8%,说明它们能产生广谱高效的胞外代谢产物;而菌丝体提取物的抑菌活性并不明显,说明三种海藻内生真菌产生的胞内代谢产物无明显的抑菌活性。     

Screening of some Algerian medicinal plants for the phenolic compounds and their antioxidant activity

Since recent times, there is a growing interest in the food industry and in preventive health care for the development and evaluation of natural antioxidants from medicinal plant materials. In the present work we have investigated the antioxidant potency of phenolic compounds of 11 indigenous wild plant species from the Algerian Atlas commonly used in Arab folk medicine for a wide range of conditions. The antioxidant activity of each phenolic extracts has been assessed by using the Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC) as a chemical test, and in a dynamic way by a biological assay based on whole blood resistance to free radical aggression. Of the 11 tested plants, 2 showed prominent antioxidant activity: Anthemis arvensis and Artemisia campestris. These plants had a very high level of Trolox equivalents and induced a strong delay of free radical-induced red blood cells hemolysis compared to antioxidant references. Artemisia campestris was the best inhibitor, its effect was far stronger than that of caffeic acid and was more than three times as high as ascorbic acid and two times higher than α-tocopherol efficiency. HPLC analysis showed a good correlation between the antioxidant activity and hydroxycinnamic derivatives. These preliminary results on the in vitro protection of blood against oxidative stress emphasized the benefit of the phenolic compounds of these medicinal plants. Our results enable us to proceed towards more detailed chemical and pharmacological understanding of these plant materials and show the interest of natural antioxidant in medicinal plants for the prevention of much free radical-mediated pathology.     

In vitro inhibitory effect of tetrahydrocurcuminoids on Fusarium proliferatum growth and fumonisin B1 biosynthesis

Many plant pathogens produce toxic metabolites when growing on food and feed. Some antioxidative components seem to prevent fungal growth and mycotoxin formation. Recently, we synthesized a new class of powerful antioxidative compounds, i.e. tetrahydrocurcuminoids, and its structure/antioxidant activity relationships have been established. The South West of France produces large amounts of corn, which can be infected by Fusarium species, particularly F. proliferatum. In this context, the efficiency of tetrahydrocurcuminoids, which can be obtained from natural curcuminoids, was investigated to control in vitro the growth of F. proliferatum and the production of its associated mycotoxin, fumonisin B₁. The relation between structure and antifungal activity was studied. Tetrahydrocurcumin (THC1), with two guaiacyl phenolic subunits, showed the highest inhibitory activity (measured as radial growth on agar medium) against the F. proliferatum development (67% inhibition at a concentration of 13.6?µmol?ml^?1). The efficiencies of THC2 (36% at a concentration of 11.5?µmol?ml^?1), which contains syringyl phenolic units, and THC3 (30% at a concentration of 13.6?µmol?ml^?1), which does not have any substituent on the aromatic rings, were relatively close. These results indicate that the simultaneous presence of guaiacyl phenols and the enolic function of the β-diketone moiety play an important role in the inhibition mechanisms. The importance of this combination was confirmed using n-propylguaiacol and acetylacetone as molecular models. Under the same conditions, ferulic acid and eugenol, other natural phenolic antioxidants, were less efficient in inhibiting fungal growth. THC1 also reduced fumonisin B₁ production in liquid medium by approximately 35, 50 and 75% at concentrations of 0.8, 1.3, and 1.9?µmol?ml^?1, respectively. These very low inhibitory concentrations show that tetrahydrocurcuminoids could be one of the most promising biobased molecules for the control of mycotoxinogen fungal strains.     

In Vitro Determination of the Antifungal Activity of Artemisia campestris Essential Oil from Algeria

The chemical composition of the essential oil isolated from the aerial parts of Artemisia campestris from Algeria and its antifungal activity against 10 filamentous fungal strains were investigated. The A. campestris essential oil was obtained in a yield of 0.71% (v/w). The major constituents of the oil were α-pinene (18.65%), β-pinene (16.78%), β-myrcene (17.34%), and germacrene D (10.34%). Our study showed that A. campestris essential oil was a potent antifungal agent against some pathogenic fungal species. Fusarium graminearum was the most sensitive strain to A. campestris essential oil with minimal inhibitory concentration and minimal fungicidal concentration values of 1.25 µL/mL (v/v). The essential oil also exhibited a strong fungicidal activity against the tested fungi, except for Penicillium citrinum, P. viridicatum, and Aspergillus niger (MFC >20 µL/mL). Our findings suggested the application of A. campestris essential oil as a biofungicide in order to reduce the dependence on synthetic fungicides and ensure food safety and quality.     

A novel antifungal peptide from foxtail millet seeds

BACKGROUND: Antifungal proteins (AFP) help plants to combat phytopathogenic fungi and thus protect plants from the devastating damage caused by fungal infections and prevent massive economic losses. To date, several proteins with antibacterial and/or antifungal properties have been isolated and characterized from different plant species and tissues; however, there are no reports concerning the antifungal peptide from foxtail millet seeds. RESULTS: An antifungal peptide with a molecular mass of 26.9 kDa was isolated from dry seeds of the foxtail millet (Setaria italica (L.) Beauv.), using a procedure that involved four chromatographic steps. The antifungal peptide was adsorbed on CM‐Sepharose, Affi‐gel blue gel and Superdex 75. It was further purified by C₁₈ reverse‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography and submitted for analysis of peptide mass fingerprint. The Mascot peptide mass fingerprint of the isolated protein hit no existing protein (score > 60), and it was proved to be a novel antifungal peptide. It inhibited mycelial growth in Alternaria alternate with an IC₅₀ of 1.3 µmol L^?1, and it also exhibited antifungal activity against Trichoderma viride, Botrytis cinerea and Fusarium oxysporum. Transmission electron microscopy of mold forms of Alternaria alternate after incubation with 20 µg mL^?1 of the antifungal protein for 48 h revealed marked ultrastructural changes in the fungus. CONCLUSION: A novel antifungal peptide with high potency was isolated from foxtail millet seeds. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry