Biodegradable alternatives for the control of Aspergillus flavus in fig fruit were tested with the application of coatings based on chitosan (CS) and propolis (P). To potentiate the fungicidal effect, nanoparticles of these two (CSNPs and PNPs) were also considered. The objectives of this research were to evaluate the effect of different formulations on: (a) the ripening process of the fig, (b) the incidence of A. flavus and the production of aflatoxins, and (c) the acceptance of the treated fruit by a panel. The nanostructured coatings did not influence the ripening process of the fruit during the 12 days of storage, however, the antioxidant activity increased by approximately 30% with the coating CS + PNPs + P. The figs treated with CS + CSNPs + PNPs + P, inhibited the growth of the fungus by about 20% to 30% under laboratory and semi-commercial conditions. For all treatments, the aflatoxin production was lower than 20 ppb compared to the control with values of c.a. 250 ppb. The sensory quality was acceptable among the panel. The edible coatings can be a non-toxic alternative for post-harvest preservation and the consumption of fig fruit. The next step will be its inclusion and evaluation at a commercial level in packing houses.
<p><em>Aspergillus flavus</em> es un hongo que infecta diversos alimentos, entre ellos el higo. Se han utilizado diferentes medios de cultivo para su aislamiento y crecimiento. El objetivo de esta investigación fue evaluar la patogenicidad de <em>A. flavus</em> crecido en diferentes medios de cultivo sobre higos. Se incubó<em> A. flavus</em> en 5 medios de cultivo (CZAPEK, agar V8, PDA, Dextrosa Sabouraud y agar de Malta) y de éstos, se realizaron dos suspensiones de esporas (1 x 104 y 1 x 105 Esp mL-1). Los frutos se inocularon y se evaluó porcentaje de infección y severidad. La cepa desarrollada en medio CZAPEK (1 x 104 Esp mL-1) fue la que generó mayor porcentaje de infección (64%), sin embargo, fue estadísticamente similar al PDA y Agar de Malta (53 y 51%, respectivamente). La cepa del medio PDA (1 x 104 Esp mL-1) mostró mayor severidad (2.4) y fue estadísticamente similar a los medios evaluados, con excepción del agar V8. Lo frutos inoculados con la cepa del agar V8 (1 x 104 Esp mL-1) tuvieron el menor porcentaje de infección (24%) y severidad (1.64), siendo estadísticamente diferente al resto de los tratamientos. Las cepas de <em>A. flavus</em> incubada en CZAPEK y PDA tuvieron mayor patogenicidad en los frutos de higo.</p>
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