The Atlas cedar, Cedrus atlantica is a resinous species of Pinaceae originated from North Africa and well known for its noble timber. This work was conducted to assess the natural durability of its wood, to study the chemical composition of essential oil extracted from its sawdust wood and to test the bioactivity of this essential oil against four wood decaying fungi: Gloeophyllum trabeum, Oligoporus placenta, Coniophora puteana and Trametes versicolor. The assessment of natural durability of wood was conducted according to the methods described in the European standards, CEN/TS 15083-1 and NF EN 350-1. Mass losses of wood specimens, after 16 weeks of exposure to fungi attack, in laboratory test, showed that Cedrus atlantica wood is very durable to durable against wood decay fungi attack. The extraction of essential oil from sawdust by hydro-distillation yielded about 3,35% and the chemical analysis of this essential oil by GC-MS showed that E-γ-Atlantone (19,73%); E-α-Atlantone (16,86%), 5-Isocedranol (11,68%); 9-iso-Thujopsanone (4,45%); Cedranone (4,13%) and Z α-Atlantone (4,02%) were the main major identified components. The antifungal activity tested by the direct contact technique on agar medium showed a strong inhibition of wood decaying fungi, especially Gloeophyllum trabeum inhibited at 1/1000 v/v concentration.

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Résumé.-Ce travail porte sur l'étude de l'activité antifongique des huiles essentielles de deux plantes aromatiques et médicinales de la flore marocaine vis-à-vis de quatre champignons lignivores. Les huiles essentielles obtenues par hydrodistillation des parties aériennes de Thymus algeriensis Boiss. & Reut. et Thymus ciliatus (Desf.) Benth. ont été analysées par CG and CG-SM. Les résul-tats montrent que le camphre (27,7%) et l'α-pinène (20,5%) sont les constituants majeurs de l'huile essentielle de T. algeriensis et que celle de T. ciliatus contient principalement le thymol (44,2%), le β-ocimène (25,8%) et l'α-terpinè-ne (12,3%). Les tests de bioactivité vis-à-vis de quatre champignons de pouriture du bois (Gloeophyllum trabeum, Poria placenta, Coniophora puteana et Coriolus versicolor) ont montré que l'essence de T. ciliatus présente une forte activité. Mots clés : Thymus algeriensis -Thymus ciliatus -huiles essentielles -activité antifongique -champignons de pourriture du bois.Abstract.-This work deals with the antifungal activity of two medicinal and aromatic plants essential oils of the Moroccan flora against four wood-decaying fungi. The essential oils obtained from Thymus algeriensis Boiss. & Reut. and Thymus ciliatus (Desf.) Benth. aerial parts by hydrodistillation were analyzed by GC and GC-MS. The result demonstrated that the major components of T. algeriensis essential oil are campher (27.7%) and α-pinene (20.5%), while were the essential oil of T. ciliatus contains mainly thymol (44.2%), β-ocymene (25.8%) and α-terpinene (12.3%). Bioactivity tests against for fungi decaying wood (Gloeophyllum trabeum, Poria placenta, Coniophora puteana and Coriolus versicolor) demonstrate that the oil of T. ciliatus showed a strong antifungal activity against all fungi tested.

In the present study, the multi-occurrence of twenty (20) mycotoxins in pasta samples consumed in Morocco was assessed. For this, a modified Quick, Easy, Cheap Effective, Rugged, and Safe method was validated. The mycotoxins studied were identified and quantified by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) and gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). The validated method was applied to one hundred and six (n = 106) pasta samples purchased from several areas in the country. The analytical results showed that 99 out of 106 total samples (93.4%) were contaminated with at least one mycotoxin. Nine mycotoxins (Aflatoxin B1, Enniatin B, Enniatin B1, Enniatin A1, Zearalenone, Deoxynivalenol, 3-Acetyl-Deoxynivalenol, T-2, and HT-2 toxins) were present in the pasta samples. Enniatin B and Enniatin B1 were the predominant mycotoxins. The Zearalenone, Deoxynivalenol, HT-2, and T-2 toxins were present in 51.8%, 43.5%, 34.9%, and 16% of samples, respectively. Aflatoxin B1 was detected in only 2 samples. Risk exposure assessment concluded that mycotoxin levels found in pasta do not pose a significant human health risk for the Moroccan population. This is the first paper drafted on the multi-occurrence of mycotoxins in pasta from this country.

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