Potential of patulin production by Penicillium expansum strains on various fruits

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the pathogenicity and patulin production by ten strains of Penicillium expansum on various fruits (apples, apricots, kiwis, plums and peaches) at two (4°C and 25°C) different temperature regimes. All strains caused the infectious rots on all fruits at 4 and 25°C except one strain (PEX 09) at 4°C. Two strains (PEX 20 and PEX 12) out of ten produced the highest amounts of patulin on all fruits tested. The patulin production by P. expansum is high at 25°C compared to 4°C. All strains of P. expansum accumulated patulin ranging from 100-13,200 μg/kg and nine strains ranging from 100-12,100 μg/kg in all fruits at 25°C and 4°C, respectively. Among ten strains of P. expansum, strain PEX 20 produced the greatest amount of patulin on apricots (13,200 μg/kg of rotten fruit) and on apples (12,500 μg/kg) at 25°C after 9 days of incubation. At 4°C, this strain produced 12,100, 12,000, 2,100 and 1,200 μg/kg of patulin on apricots, apples, plums and peaches, respectively, after 45 days of incubation. Strain PEX 12 produced the highest amount of patulin on kiwis (10,700 μg/kg) at 25°C and 10,300 μg/kg at 4°C. Patulin production by P. expansum on peaches and plums at both temperatures were lower than other fruits. The results of this study showed that careful removal of rotten fruits is essential to produce patulin-free fruit juice, since high patulin levels in apricots, apples and kiwis could result in a level greater than 50 μg/kg of this mycotoxin in finished fruit juices, when one contaminated fruit occurs in 264, 250 and 214 fruits, respectively. So, the fruit processors should take care in not using rotten fruits for juice production to avoid the patulin problem worldwide, since this study proved that most important fruits being used for juice production and direct human consumption are susceptible to P. expansum and subsequent patulin production even at low temperatures. This is the first comprehensive report regarding patulin production by different strains of P. expansum on various fruits from Italy at different temperature regimes.

Developments in the Monitoring of Patulin in Fruits Using Liquid Chromatography: an Overview

“…Also, consumer risk increases with the possible production of this mycotoxin during fruits storage (Reddy et al 2010) and food processing due to patulin resistance to applied conditions. For this reason, different fruits and derived products (juices, purees, ciders, jams, marmalades, vinegars, dried rings) should be monitored for patulin contamination.…”

“…In case of deterioration of fruits and their derived products, Penicillium and Byssochlamys are the most studied fungi with Penicillium expansum being the most common contaminant. It is found in healthy as well as in rotten apple fruit (Hasan 2000;Hammami et al 2017) and other fruits like infected pears, peaches, or apricots (Neri et al 2010;Reddy et al 2010). This fungus was also isolated from grapes (Tančinová et al 2015) and the generated patulin accumulates also in plums, strawberries, and kiwifruits (Neri et al 2010;Reddy et al 2010;Wei et al 2017).…”

“…It is found in healthy as well as in rotten apple fruit (Hasan 2000;Hammami et al 2017) and other fruits like infected pears, peaches, or apricots (Neri et al 2010;Reddy et al 2010). This fungus was also isolated from grapes (Tančinová et al 2015) and the generated patulin accumulates also in plums, strawberries, and kiwifruits (Neri et al 2010;Reddy et al 2010;Wei et al 2017). Considering Byssochlamys strains (B. fulva and B. nivea) showing high thermal resistance, they survive heat treatment during food processing and cause deterioration of fruit juices (Rice et al 1977;Rice 1980;Roland and Beuchat 1984;Sant'Ana et al 2010).…”

Detoxification of mycotoxin patulin by the yeast Rhodosporidium paludigenum

“…Patulin is a mycotoxin produced by various fungi, particularly Penicillium, Aspergillus and Byssochlamys species (Steiman, Seigle-Murandi, Sage, & Krivobok, 1989), which commonly occur in fruits and cereals. There is great concern regarding the accumulation of patulin in apples and apple products (Reddy, Spadaro, Lore, Gullino, & Garibaldi, 2010). In Portugal, 69% of rotted apples (Martins, Gimeno, Martins, & Bernardo, 2002) and 23% of apple-based products (Barreira, Alvito, & Almeida, 2010) are contaminated with patulin.…”

Adsorptive Removal of Patulin from Apple Juice Using Ca‐Alginate‐Activated Carbon Beads

“…Patulin (4‐hydroxy‐4 H ‐furo (3, 2‐ c ) pyran‐2 (6 H )‐one) is a toxin secondary metabolite produced by a wide range of fungi, such as Penicillium , Aspergillus , and Byssochlamys (Żegota and others ; El‐Sharkaway and others ; Coelho and others ), of which Penicillium expansum is the most important common contaminant of fruits and fruit products (Mahfoud and others ; Drusch and Ragab ). Apples and apple products are excellent substrates for P. expansum , a major producer of patulin (Salomao and others ; Reddy and others ). This mycotoxin causes a significant healthy impact.…”