INHIBITORY EFFECTS OF BENZOIC, PROPIONIC AND SORBIC ACIDS ON GROWTH AND AFLATOXIN PRODUCTION OF ASPERGILLUS FLAYUS IN PEANUTS AND CORNS

Abstract

After mixing peanuts and corns with acid mixtures of benzoic:propionic, benzoic:sorbic and propionic:sorbic at. 0.2:0.1, 0.2:0.3 and 0.1:0.15% respectively, growth of Aspergillus flavus ATCC 15546 and its aflatoxin production were completely inhibited. Mixed with feed, the chemicals used showed no decreased growth of male Wistar rats. Aqueous and alcoholic extracts from the treated seeds neither showed toxicity upon development of chick embryo nor mutagenicity using Ames'bacterial test.