Control of fungi isolated from cereals: variations in the susceptibility of fungal species to essential oils, ozone, and UV-C

The application of synthetic chemicals for food protection is a cause for public concern and raises the demand for more environment-friendly approaches. In the present study, we investigated the inhibitory efficacy of alternative measures, namely, fumigation with essential oils (EOs), ozone treatment, and ultraviolet-C (UV-C) irradiation against fungi associated with wheat and oat cereals. Oregano oil exhibited the strongest antifungal properties when compared to clove and cinnamon oils. Ozone fumigation induced a significant inhibition of fungal survival after 1 h of treatment. Aspergillus niger was the most sensitive to gaseous and aqueous ozone. UV-C irradiation for 15 min had a substantial effect on Aspergillus flavus and Penicillium cyclopium, whereas 60-90 min were needed to achieve a similar effect in other tested fungi. The current findings indicated that the susceptibility of fungi differed based on the applied antifungal measures.

Automated summary

The application of synthetic chemicals for food protection is a cause for concern and alternative approaches are in demand. This study investigated the inhibitory efficacy of fumigation with essential oils, ozone treatment, and UV-C irradiation against fungi in wheat and oat cereals. Oregano oil exhibited the strongest antifungal properties, ozone fumigation significantly inhibited fungal survival, and different fungi showed varying susceptibilities to the antifungal measures applied.