In vitro and in vivo antifungal activity of chitosanand identification of potentially toxigenic CONTENIDO fungi in stored maize of Nayarit, Mexico

Maize is the main food in Mexico since it constitutes the food base of millions of Mexicans. However, production is affected by the presence of mycotoxin-producing fungi, such as Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium. In order to prevent the growth of these pathogens, the efficacy of high molecular weight commercial chitosan was evaluated to prolong the conservation and quality of the grain during storage. The maize kernels were provided from the state of Nayarit, Mexico. The fungi A. niger, P. funiculosum, and F. verticillioides were isolated and identified morphologically and molecularly. The In vitro chitosan concentrations evaluated were 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0%. The highest concentration inhibited mycelial growth by 74.97, 93.19 and 89.79% for A. niger, P.funiculosum, and F. verticillioides, respectively. The results demonstrated that commercial chitosan with a high molecular weight can effectively inhibit the growth of mycotoxin-producing fungus in preserved maize kernels.