Effects of apple and pear varieties and pH on patulin accumulation by Penicillium expansum

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Accumulation of patulin in apples and pears and subsequently in their by-products is caused mostly by Penicillium expansum which causes blue mould. Fruit pH and other parameters are sometimes characteristic of a certain variety and thus the use of particular varieties might affect patulin content in the final products. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of fruit variety and pH on patulin accumulation. Patulin accumulation in both apple and pear juices at different pH and also in different apple varieties (Golden, Gala and Fuji) and pear varieties (Blanquilla and Conference) was assessed.

A study on the physicochemical parameters for Penicillium expansum growth and patulin production: effect of temperature, pH, and water activity

“…Similarly, Morales et al. () found that the P. expansum growth, estimated in terms of fungal biomass, was unaffected by the fruit juice initial pH.…”

“…).Moreover, its patulin production capacity has been independently assessed as a function of temperature, pH, and fruit varieties (Morales et al. ; Salomao et al. ).…”

Influence of post-harvest technologies applied during cold storage of apples in Penicillium expansum growth and patulin accumulation: A review

“…In the assay with BCA formerly referred, time for lesions to expand to 2 cm in control apples was about 30 days and the average patulin accumulated was approx. 200 ng per apple, which is higher than expected, compared to other assays carried out with apples from conventional agriculture (Morales, Barros, Marin, Ramos, & Sanchis, 2008;Morales, Marín, Centelles, et al, 2007). It has been commented formerly (Section 3 regarding use of fungicides) that apples from organic farming presented smaller rots than those from conventional agriculture.…”

“…reported that apples cold stored during 60 days at CA conditions presented lesions whose diameter ranged from 2 to 4 cm but no patulin was detected. According to other studies (Morales, Marín, Centelles, et al, 2007;Morales, Barros, et al, 2008), patulin accumulation after 60 days of conventional cold storage should range from 44 to 468 ng per apple. Baert et al (2008) reported that temperature influences on the effect of CA storage.…”

Development of a PCR protocol to detect patulin producing moulds in food products

“…To prevent patulin occurrence in food, producing moulds should be detected early in the food chain (Barreira, Alvito, & Almeida, 2010;Dvali, Maksimenko, Eller, & Tutel'ian, 1985;Majerus, Hain, & Kölb, 2008;Marín et al, 2011;Morales et al, 2008;Tangni et al, 2003;Yuan, Zhuang, Zhang, & Liu, 2010). The demand is thus to design rapid and sensitive methods that detect these moulds early enough.…”