Detection of NEO in muskmelon fruits inoculated with Fusarium sulphureum and its control by postharvest ozone treatment

Enhancing postharvest food safety: the essential role of non-thermal technologies in combating fungal contamination and mycotoxins

During the production and storage of agricultural products, molds frequently occur as contaminants that can produce a wide range of secondary metabolites, the most important of which are mycotoxins. To solve these problems, the industry uses various methods, products and processes. This review examines the latest advances in novel non-thermal technologies for post-harvest inactivation of filamentous fungi and reduction of mycotoxins. These technologies include high pressure processes (HPP), ozone treatment, UV light, blue light, pulsed light, pulsed electric fields (PEF), cold atmospheric plasma (CAP), electron beams, ultrasound (US) and nanoparticles. Using data from previous studies, this review provides an overview of the primary mechanisms of action and recent results obtained using these technologies and emphasizes the limitations and challenges associated with each technology. The innovative non-thermal methods discussed here have been shown to be safe and efficient tools for reducing food mold contamination and infection. However, the effectiveness of these technologies is highly dependent on the fungal species and the structural characteristics of the mycotoxins. New findings related to the inactivation of fungi and mycotoxins underline that for a successful application it is essential to carefully determine and optimize certain key parameters in order to achieve satisfactory results. Finally, this review highlights and discusses future directions for non-thermal technologies. It emphasizes that they meet consumer demand for clean and safe food without compromising nutritional and sensory qualities.

Characterizing the Pathogenicity and Mycotoxin Production Capacity of Fusarium spp. Causing Root Rot of Angelica sinensis in China

Root rot is a very destructive soil-borne disease, which severely affects the quality and yield of Angelica sinensis in major planting areas of Gansu Province, China. Twelve Fusarium strains were identified from root rot tissue and infected soil in the field by comparing each isolate strain internal transcribed spacer, translation elongation factor 1-α sequence and RNA polymerase second largest subunit gene with the sequences of known fungal species in the NCBI database. Of these isolates, four were F. acuminatum, followed by three F. solani, two F. oxysporum, and one each of F. equiseti, F. redolens, and F. avenaceum. Under greenhouse conditions, pathogenicity testing experiment was carried out using five strains: two F. acuminatum, one F. solani, one F. oxysporum, and one F. equiseti. Among them, the incidence of F. acuminatum-induced root rot on A. sinensis was 100%; hence, it was the most aggressive. Liquid chromatography was used to show that F. acuminatum could produce neosolaniol (NEO), deoxynivalenol, and T-2 toxins. Of these, the level of NEO produced by F. acuminatum was high compared with the other two toxins. By isolating Fusarium spp. and characterizing their toxin-producing capacity, this work provides new information for effectively preventing and controlling A. sinensis root rot in the field as well as improving the quality of its medicinal materials.

Reactive Oxygen Species Metabolism and Diacetoxyscirpenol Biosynthesis Modulation in Potato Tuber Inoculated with Ozone-Treated Fusarium sulphureum

Potato dry rot, caused by Fusarium species, is a devastating fungal decay that seriously impacts the yield and quality of potato tubers worldwide. Fusarium sulphureum is a major causal agent causing potato tuber dry rot that leads to trichothecene accumulation in Gansu Province of China. Ozone (O3), a strong oxidant, is widely applied to prevent postharvest disease in fruits and vegetables. In this study, F. sulphureum was first treated with 2 mg L-1 ozone for 0, 30 s, 1 min, and 2 min, then inoculated with the potato tubers. The impact of ozone application on dry rot development and diacetoxyscirpenol (DIA) accumulation and the possible mechanisms involved were analyzed. The results showed that ozone treatment significantly inhibited the development of potato tuber dry rot by activating reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism and increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes NADPH oxidase (NOX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POD) by 24.2%, 13.1%, 45.4%, and 15.8%, respectively, compared with their corresponding control. The activities of key enzymes involved in ascorbate-glutathione cycle (AsA-GSH) of ascorbic peroxidase (APX), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), and glutathione reductase (GR) also increased by 26.6%, 41.5%, 56%, and 24.1%, respectively, compared with the control group, and their corresponding gene expressions. In addition, ozone treatment markedly suppressed DIA accumulation in potato tubers by downregulating the expression of genes associated with DIA biosynthesis pathway. These results suggest that ozone treatment inhibited the occurrence of potato dry rot and the accumulation of DIA in potato tubers inoculated with F. sulphureum by promoting ROS metabolism and modulating DIA biosynthesis pathway.

Isolation of the Main Pathogens Causing Postharvest Disease in Fresh Angelica sinensis during Different Storage Stages and Impacts of Ozone Treatment on Disease Development and Mycotoxin Production

Angelica sinensis, a Chinese herbal medicine, is susceptible to molds during storage, reducing its quality, and even generating mycotoxins with toxic effects on human health. Fresh A. sinensis was harvested from Min County of Gansu Province in China and kept at room temperature. Naturally occurring symptoms were observed during different storage stages. Molds were isolated and identified from the diseased A. sinensis using morphological and molecular biology methods. The impact of ozone treatment on postharvest disease development and mycotoxin production was investigated. The results indicated that A. sinensis decay began on day 7 of storage and progressed thereafter. Nine mold species were isolated and characterized: day 7, two Mucormycetes; day 14, Clonostachys rosea; day 21, two Penicillium species and Aspergillus versicolor; day 28, Alternaria alternata and Trichoderma atroviride; and day 49, Fusarium solani. Ozone treatment markedly inhibited the development of postharvest disease and the mycotoxin production (such as, patulin, 15-acetyl-deoxynivalenol, and sterigmatocystin) in the rotten tissue of A. sinensis inoculated with the nine isolates.

Isolation of Main Pathogens Causing Postharvest Disease in Fresh Codonopsis pilosula during Different Storage Stages and Ozone Control against Disease and Mycotoxin Accumulation

Codonopsis pilosula is an important Chinese herbal medicine. However, fresh C. pilosula is prone to decay during storage due to microorganism infections, seriously affecting the medicinal value and even causing mycotoxin accumulation. Therefore, it is necessary to study the pathogens present and develop efficient control strategies to mitigate their detrimental effects on the herbs during storage. In this study, fresh C. pilosula was collected from Min County in Gansu Province, China. The natural disease symptoms were observed during different storage stages, and the pathogens causing C. pilosula postharvest decay were isolated from the infected fresh C. pilosula. Morphological and molecular identification were performed, and pathogenicity was tested using Koch's postulates. In addition, the control of ozone was examined against the isolates and mycotoxin accumulation. The results indicated that the naturally occurring symptom increased progressively with the extension of storage time. The mucor rot caused by Mucor was first observed on day 7, followed by root rot caused by Fusarium on day 14. Blue mold disease caused by Penicillum expansum was detected as the most serious postharvest disease on day 28. Pink rot disease caused by Trichothecium roseum was observed on day 56. Moreover, ozone treatment significantly decreased the development of postharvest disease and inhibited the accumulations of patulin, deoxynivalenol, 15-Acetyl-deoxynivalenol, and HT-2 toxin.

Contamination, Detection and Control of Mycotoxins in Fruits and Vegetables

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by pathogenic fungi that colonize fruits and vegetables either during harvesting or during storage. Mycotoxin contamination in fruits and vegetables has been a major problem worldwide, which poses a serious threat to human and animal health through the food chain. This review systematically describes the major mycotoxigenic fungi and the produced mycotoxins in fruits and vegetables, analyzes recent mycotoxin detection technologies including chromatography coupled with detector (i.e., mass, ultraviolet, fluorescence, etc.) technology, electrochemical biosensors technology and immunological techniques, as well as summarizes the degradation and detoxification technologies of mycotoxins in fruits and vegetables, including physical, chemical and biological methods. The future prospect is also proposed to provide an overview and suggestions for future mycotoxin research directions.

Study on the adsorption effect of diatomite on neosolaniol (NEO) in muskmelon fruits inoculated with Fusarium sulphureum

Fusarium rot of muskmelon fruit is a common postharvest disease, which not only causes quantity deterioration but also leads to trichothecene accumulation in decay fruits. Neosolaniol (NEO) is one of main trichothecene, which poses a severe threat to human health. In this study, UPLC-MS/MS method was developed to determine NEO in muskmelon inoculated with Fusarium sulphureum. Diatomite was used to remove NEO in muskmelon and the adsorption kinetics, adsorption thermodynamics were analyzed in this adsorption process, and the changes of muskmelon juice quality before and after adsorption were investigated. The results showed that diatomite was a good adsorbent to remove NEO from muskmelon juice. The reaction process fits the Langmuir model and it was spontaneous exothermic reaction and not easy to be desorbed; the kinetic results showed that the maximum adsorption capacity was 12.35 μg/g, and this process fits the Pseudo-second-order model; diatomite had no significant effect on juice quality.

Effects of ozone treatment on the antioxidant capacity of postharvest strawberry

Strawberries are highly popular around the world because of their juicy flesh and unique taste. However, they are delicate and extremely susceptible to peroxidation of their membrane lipids during storage, which induces water loss and rotting of the fruit. This study investigated the effects of ozone treatment on the physiological traits, active oxygen metabolism, and the antioxidant properties of postharvest strawberry. The results revealed that the weight loss (WL) and respiration rate (RR) of strawberry were inhibited by ozone treatment (OT), while the decline of firmness (FIR) and total soluble solids (TSS) were delayed. Ozone also reduced the generation rate of superoxide radical anions , and the content of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) enhanced the activity of superoxidase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), as well as promoted the accumulation of ascorbic acid (ASA), glutathione (GSH), and ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP). In addition, a total of 29 antioxidant-related proteins were changed between the OT group and control (CK) group as detected by label-free proteomics during the storage time, and the abundance associated with ASA–GSH cycle was higher in the OT group at the later stage of storage, and the qRT-PCR results were consistent with those of proteomics. The improvement of the antioxidant capacity of postharvest strawberry treated with ozone may be achieved by enhancing the activity of the antioxidant enzymes and increasing the expression of the antioxidant proteins related to the ascorbic acid–glutathione (ASA–GSH) cycle.

Strawberries are highly popular around the world because of their juicy flesh and unique taste.

Application of ozone for degradation of mycotoxins in food: A review

Mycotoxins such as aflatoxins (AFs), ochratoxin A (OTA) fumonisins (FMN), deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEN), and patulin are stable at regular food process practices. Ozone (O₃ ) is a strong oxidizer and generally considered as a safe antimicrobial agent in food industries. Ozone disrupts fungal cells through oxidizing sulfhydryl and amino acid groups of enzymes or attacks the polyunsaturated fatty acids of the cell wall. Fusarium is the most sensitive mycotoxigenic fungi to ozonation followed by Aspergillus and Penicillium. Studies have shown complete inactivation of Fusarium and Aspergillus by O₃ gas. Spore germination and toxin production have also been reduced after ozone fumigation. Both naturally and artificially, mycotoxin-contaminated samples have shown significant mycotoxin reduction after ozonation. Although the mechanism of detoxification is not very clear for some mycotoxins, it is believed that ozone reacts with the functional groups in the mycotoxin molecules, changes their molecular structures, and forms products with lower molecular weight, less double bonds, and less toxicity. Although some minor physicochemical changes were observed in some ozone-treated foods, these changes may or may not affect the use of the ozonated product depending on the further application of it. The effectiveness of the ozonation process depends on the exposure time, ozone concentration, temperature, moisture content of the product, and relative humidity. Due to its strong oxidizing property and corrosiveness, there are strict limits for O₃ gas exposure. O₃ gas has limited penetration and decomposes quickly. However, ozone treatment can be used as a safe and green technology for food preservation and control of contaminants.

Acetylsalicylic acid treatment reduce Fusarium rot development and neosolaniol accumulation in muskmelon fruit

Fusarium rot of muskmelon is a common and frequently-occurring postharvest disease, which leads to quality deterioration and neosolaniol (NEO) contamination. New strategies to control postharvest decay and reduce NEO contamination are of paramount importance. The effects of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) treatment on the growth of Fusarium sulphureum in vitro, and Fusarium rot development and NEO accumulation in fruits inoculated with F. sulphureum in vivo were investigated. The results showed that ASA inhibited the growth of F. sulphureum, evident morphological and major cellular changes were observed under the microscope. In vivo testing showed that 3.2 mg/mL ASA significantly suppressed Fusarium rot development and NEO accumulation after 6 and 8 d of pathogen inoculation. Meanwhile, Tri gene expressions involved in NEO biosynthesis were down-regulated after treatment. Taken together, ASA treatment not only reduced Fusarium rot development by inhibiting the growth of F. sulphureum, but decreased NEO accumulation by suppressing NEO biosynthesis pathway.