Spherical Fe2O3 nanoparticles inhibit the production of aflatoxins (B1 and B2) and regulate total soluble solids and titratable acidity of peach fruit

Mahnoor Akbar; Naeem Ali; Muhammad Imran; Arshad Hussain; Syed Waqas Hassan; Urooj Haroon; Asif Kamal; Farhana; Hassan Javed Chaudhary; Muhammad Farooq Hussain Munis

doi:10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2023.110508

Spherical Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles inhibit the production of aflatoxins (B₁ and B₂) and regulate total soluble solids and titratable acidity of peach fruit

Int J Food Microbiol. 2024 Jan 30:410:110508. doi: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2023.110508. Epub 2023 Nov 24.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan.
² Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan.
³ Department of Electronics, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan.
⁴ Department of Biosciences, University of Wah, Quaid Avenue, Wah Cantt., Pakistan.
⁵ Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis 95616, USA.
⁶ Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan. Electronic address: munis@qau.edu.pk.

PMID: 38029662
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2023.110508

Abstract

Aflatoxin is a group I carcinogen and causes significant public health and food safety risks, throughout the world. This study was carried out to assess the levels of aflatoxin contamination in diseased peach (Prunus persica L.) fruit and their control using myco-synthesized iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe₂O₃ NPs). Diseased peach fruit were diagnosed to be infected with Aspergillus flavus. The isolated pathogen was cultured under UV light (365 nm) and exposed to ammonium hydroxide (31 %) vapors, which confirmed its ability to produce aflatoxin. For the control of this disease, Fe₂O₃ NPs were synthesized in the filtrate of a biocontrol fungus (Trichoderma harzianum) and characterized before analyzing their potential in disease control. FTIR spectrum described the presence of capping and reducing agents (secondary amines, alcohol, alkyne and aromatic compounds) on the surface of Fe₂O₃ NPs. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) described the crystalline size (7.78), while the spherical shape of Fe₂O₃ NPs was described by the SEM analysis. The EDX spectrum indicated the successful formation of Fe₂O₃ NPs by showing strong signals of iron (74.38 %). All concentrations displayed mycelial growth inhibition, in vitro and the greatest growth reduction (65.4 %) was observed at 1 mg/ml concentration of NPs. At the same concentration of Fe₂O₃ NPs, significant control of fruit rot of peach was also observed, in vivo. Treatment of Fe₂O₃ NPs maintained higher soluble solids, sucrose, total sugar, ascorbic acid, titratable acidity and firmness of peach fruit. Diseased fruit were further investigated for the presence and detection of aflatoxins. All three methods viz. thin layer chromatography (TLC), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) confirmed a higher production of aflatoxins in control plants, while this production was significantly reduced in Fe₂O₃ NPs-treated peach fruit.

Keywords: Aflatoxins; ELISA; Fruit firmness; HPLC; Rot disease; Trichoderma harzianum.

MeSH terms

Aflatoxins* / analysis
Aspergillus flavus
Fruit / chemistry
Nanoparticles* / chemistry
Prunus persica*

Substances

Aflatoxins