Effects of antimicrobial food additives on growth and ochratoxin A production by Aspergillus sulphureus and Pencillium viridicatum

The effects of antimicrobial food additives on growth and ochratoxin A production by strains of Aspergillus sulphurous NRRL 4077 and Penicillium viridicatum NRRL 3711 were investigated. At pH 4.5, in order to obtain 100% inhibition of both mycelium and toxin production, 0.02, 0.067, 0.0667, and 0.2% of potassium sorbate, methyl paraben, sodium bisulfite, and sodium propionate were required, respectively. At pH 5.5, 0.134% of potassium sorbate and 0.067% of methyl paraben completely inhibited the growth and ochratoxin A production by both fungi. Sodium bisulfite at 0.1% and sodium propionate at 0.64% were found to inhibit fungal growth by the following percentages, respectively: A. sulphureus NRRL 4077, 45.45%, P. viridicatum NRRL 3711. 89.38%; A. sulphureus NRRL 4077, 79.91%, P. viridicatum NRRL 3711, 88.45%. For toxin inhibition, the following percentages were achieved according to their previous sequence: 97.17, 99.89, 99.40, and 100%.