UTILIZATION OF NANO CHITOSAN AS INHIBITOR OF FUSARIUM GROWTH IN FOODS

Abstract

Fusarium species are the most important fungal pathogens contaminate corn and other cereals and cause severe reduction in the crops yield. Some isolates of these fungi have the ability to produce mycotoxins. These secondary metabolites cause losses in nutritional and considered a potential hazard to food chain. Mycotoxins can induce severe intoxications including the immunotoxicity and immunosuppressive. Zearalenone (ZEN) mycotoxin is an important Fusarium toxin, which may occur at significant concentrations in most cereals. ZEN is a common mycotoxin worldwide associated with cereal crops such as wheat, corn, barley, rice, rye and oats. Therefore, the prevention of the growth and invasion of these pathogenic fungi in the agricultural commodities is critical needed to prevent the contamination by mycotoxin. The main objectives of the current study were to: (1) determine the physicochemical properties of chitosan (COS), (2) prepare and characterize chitosan nanoparticles (COS-NPs), (3) investigate the antifungal activity of different concentrations of COS-NPs against fungi isolated from corn grains, (4) determine the effect of COS-NPs on the growth of Fusarium graminearum and zearalenone (ZEN) production in PDA medium, (5) study the effect of COS-NPs on F. graminearum growth and ZEN production in talbina prepared from contaminated barley, (6) study the effect of COS-NPs coating on the shelf life of store