Effect of antioxidants and competing mycoflora on Fusarium verticillioides and F. proliferatum populations and fumonisin production on maize grain

This study was carried out to determine the temporal effect of the antioxidants butylated hydroxyanisol (BHA) and propyl paraben (PP) at doses of 500 and 1000 μg/g on the growth of Fusarium verticillioides and F. proliferatum inoculated on natural maize grain in the presence of the competing mycoflora and fumonisin production at 0.98 and 0.95 water activity (a_w) over a 28-day storage period. The reduction in the log colony forming units (CFU) of Penicillium, Aspergillus and Fusarium populations was 10-100 fold depending on dose of BHA or PP, a_w and time. However, the populations of all three groups were higher at 0.98 a_w than 0.95 a_w. BHA at 500 μg/g and 0.95 a_w reduced the fumonisin content by 82% after 7-14 days incubation, but at the end of the experimental period the reduction was only 32%. A higher reduction in the level of fumonisin produced (77%) was achieved with BHA at 1000 μg/g after 28 days. PP at 500 and 1000 μg/g decreased fumonisin production throughout the incubation period in the drier treatment, but at 0.98 a_w control of toxin production was only achieved after 7-14 days. The reduction in the fumonisin levels could be due to the combined effect of antioxidants, and the competing mycoflora, mainly Aspergillus and Penicillium species.