Inhibition of aflatoxin B1, B2, G1 and G2 production by Aspergillus parasiticus in nuts using yellow and oriental mustard flours

Aflatoxins (AFs) are naturally occurring mycotoxin compounds produced by several species of Aspergillus, as Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus and are mutagenic, teratogenic, and carcinogenic compounds that have been implicated as causative agents in human hepatic and extra hepatic carcinogenesis. In this study, the reduction of the AFs present in dried fruits (peanut, cashew, walnut, almond, hazelnut and pistachio), produced by A. parasiticus CECT 2681, by isothiocyanates (ITCs) generated by the enzymatic hydrolysis of the glucosinolates (GLCs) present in oriental and yellow mustard flours was evaluated. The AFs reduction activity through ITCs application in dried fruits was carried out using a model and food system experiments. The quantification of the AFs in the food products analyzed was carried out employing the technique of the liquid chromatography (LC) coupled to the mass spectrometry detection in tandem (MS/MS). The ITCs produced through GLCs hydrolysis reduced the A. parasiticus growth in the food products tested and in particular in the model system experiments the AFs B₁, B₂, G₁ and G₂ reduction ranged meanly from 83.1 to 87.2% using the oriental mustard flour, whereas employing the yellow flour the mean reduction observed ranged from 27.0 to 32.5%. In the food system experiments carried out employing only the oriental mustard flour the mean AFs reduction observed ranged from 88 to 89%.