scholarly journals Decontamination of Mycotoxigenic Fungi on Shelled Corn Using Selective Infrared Heating Technique

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shantae A. Wilson ◽  
Zeinab Mohammadi Shad ◽  
Abass A. Oduola ◽  
Zonghui Zhou ◽  
Hongrui Jiang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infrared Heating ◽  
Mycotoxigenic Fungi

Deterrence of Aspergillus Flavus Regrowth and Aflatoxin Accumulation on Shelled Corn Using Infrared Heat Treatments

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-158
Author(s):  
Deandrae Lynette Smith ◽  
Griffiths G. Atungulu ◽  
Shantae A. Wilson ◽  
Zeinab MohammadiShad
Keyword(s):  
Moisture Content ◽  
Aspergillus Flavus ◽  
Spore Suspension ◽  
Infrared Heating ◽  
Ir Heating ◽  
Mycotoxigenic Fungi ◽  
Aflatoxin Accumulation ◽  
Heating Duration ◽  
Ir Intensities ◽  
Microbial Attachment

HighlightsInfrared heating was used to deactivate Aspergillus flavus.Treating samples for 150 s at the 3.24 kW/m2 intensity resulted in complete deactivation of A. flavus.Adding a tempering step at 70°C for 4 h significantly increased deactivation of A. flavus.Corn treated at IR intensity =3.24 kW/m2 showed no potential for A. flavus regrowth or aflatoxin persistence.The study demonstrated a non-chemical approach to deactivate mycotoxigenic fungi on corn.Abstract.The objectives of this study were to determine the suitable combinations of infrared (IR) heating duration and intensity, followed by tempering treatments to maximize the deactivation of aflatoxin-producing mold spores, specifically Aspergillus flavus (A. flavus). Corn samples at moisture content of 24% wet basis were inoculated with spore suspension of A. flavus and incubated to allow microbial attachment on the kernels. Corn samples were then heated using IR energy and then tempered for 4 h. Following the treatments, the samples were placed in conditions favorable for mold regrowth. Treatments of non-tempered samples for 210 s at the lowest intensity (1.27 kW/m2) resulted in A. flavus load reductions of 5.9 Log CFU/g. Treatments of non-tempered samples at the medium (3.24 kW/m2) and highest intensity (6.9 kW/m2) for 210 s resulted in complete deactivation of A. flavus. No fungal regrowth or aflatoxin persistence was observed on samples treated for 210 s at the lowest, medium, and highest IR intensities. Keywords: Aflatoxins, Aspergillus flavus, Infrared heating, Shelled corn, Tempering.

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