Applications of curcumin loaded nanoemulsions in photoinactivation of Aspergillus niger spores

Abstract

Background: Aspergillus niger is one of the most common fungal contaminants of food products, leading to several economic losses on fruit, vegetables and other food products during storage. Over the years, several new techniques have been developed to control fungal growth, including photodynamic inactivation, in which excitation of a photosensitizer in the right wavelength leads to ROS production and microbial death.Results: On this paper, curcumin was used as a natural photosentitizer against A. niger spores. Nanoemulsions were used in order to encapsulated curcumin and increase its water solubility. Results showed that spores inhibition could reach up to 80% after 3 min of irradiation while values for un-encapsulated curcumin were around 30%. Conclusion:Results presented show that nanoemulsions could be use to enhance the photoinactivation properties of curcumin, against fungal spores from A. niger. This type of process can be use for food decontamination and preservation.