Antifungal efficacy of sanitizers and electrolyzed waters against toxigenic Aspergillus.

The presence of mycotoxin-producing fungi in food production environments is a cause of concern since they can contaminate food products, synthesizing toxic compounds in later steps. To avoid this, an effective hygiene and sanitation process of the environment and equipment should be adopted, using sanitizing agents with adequate antifungal efficacy. This work evaluated the effectiveness of different chemical sanitizers: benzalkonium chloride (0.3%, 1.2%, 2%), biguanide (2%, 3.5%, 5%), iodine (0.2%, 0.6%, 1%), peracetic acid (0.3%, 0.6%, 1%), sodium hypochlorite (0.5%, 0.75%, 1%), besides a new non-polluting technology, the electrolyzed water, both the acid in the chlorine concentrations of 60, 85 and 121 ppm and the respective basic electrolyzed water formed against strains of toxigenic Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus nomius, Aspergillus parasiticus, Aspergillus carbonarius, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus ochraceus and Aspergillus westerdijkiae through the methodology recommended by the European Committee for Standardization. Benzalkonium chloride and iodine were the most effective sanitizers to eliminate Aspergillus from the Flavi and Nigri section. Peracetic acid showed the best elimination of the growth of Aspergillus from Circumdati section. Sodium hypochlorite, biguanide, and electrolyzed water agents were the least effective, reducing less than 3 log from initial control, not being the most suitable agents for the control of toxigenic fungi in food industries.

Sensitivity of food spoilage fungi to a smoke generator sanitizer.

Smoke generator sanitizers are easy to handle and can access to hard-to-reach places. They are a promising alternative for controlling food and air borne fungi, which are known to cause losses in the bakery, meat, and dairy industries. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of a smoke generator sanitizer based on orthophenylphenol against ten fungal species relevant to food spoilage. The tests were carried out according to the norms by the French protocol NF-T-72281, with adaptations specific for disinfectants diffused in the air. The tests were performed in an enclosed room of approximately 32 m3. Aspergillus brasiliensis (ATCC 16404), Candida albicans (ATCC 10231), Aspergillus flavus (ATCC 9643), Aspergillus chevalieri (IMI 211382), Cladosporium cladosporioides (IMI 158517), Lichtheima corymbifera (CCT 4485), Mucor hiemalis (CCT 4561), Penicillium commune (CCT 7683), Penicillium polonicum (NGT 33/12), and Penicillium roqueforti (IMI 217568) were exposed to the smoke generator sanitizer for 7 h. The product was efficient against C. albicans and C. cladosporioides, although it was unable to reduce 4 log of the other tested species. The variable sensitivity of the fungal species to the sanitizer emphasizes the importance of confronting a target microorganism (causing problems in a specific food industry) with the sanitizer aiming to control it and obtain satisfactory results in hygiene programs.

Incidence of spoilage fungi in the air of bakeries with different hygienic status.

This study aimed to determine the level of adequacy of bakeries to the requirements of good manufacturing practices (GMP) and the fungal contamination of the environmental air of these places, verifying the existence of a correlation between both. The checklist present in Ordinance No 78/2009 of good practices based on the current legislation was used to evaluate GMP adequacy and the contamination of environmental air was determined through the air sampling method. After the application of the checklist, it was observed that 75% (n = 15) of the bakeries evaluated were classified into group 2 (good) and 25% (n = 5) as group 3 (regular). On the other hand, only five (25%) and three (15%) bakeries presented values below of 300 CFU/m3 for the fungal contamination of air in food cooling and exposure areas, respectively. Fungi isolated from these areas were mainly species commonly reported as potential spoilers of bakery products. This study revealed that in spite of the evaluated bakeries presenting conditions considered "good" by the GMP, they presented, in most cases, high counts of fungi in the cooling and exposition areas for ready products. Only a weak correlation was found between the items of GMP and the load of airborne fungi present in the bakeries. More attention should be directed to hygienic aspects related to the microbiological quality of the air of bakeries, since these micro-organisms could contaminate the surface of freshly baked products, compromising the final quality of these foods, as well as prompt its early deterioration.