Debaryomyces hansenii reduces ochratoxin A production by Penicillium nordicum on dry-cured ham agar through volatile compounds

Ochratoxin A (OTA) produced by Penicillium nordicum during the processing of dry-cured ham represents a risk in the meat industry. To avoid it, yeasts as control agents are under study although their mechanisms of action are not elucidated yet. The aim of this work was to evaluate the antiochratoxigenic capacity of volatile compounds produced by Debaryomyces hansenii against three strains of P. nordicum. For this, three ochratoxigenic P. nordicum strains were inoculated in Petri dishes with a culture medium based on lyophilised ham. D. hansenii was inoculated on the surface of other plates with the same agar. The two plates were faced in such a way that microorganisms did not come into contact but shared a headspace between them. After 14 days at 20 degrees C, the growth and OTA production of P. nordicum were evaluated and the volatile compounds were analysed. The results revealed OTA reductions up to 99.9 % in the three tested strains exerted by the volatile compounds generated by D. hansenii. The 3-methyl butanol and the phenylethyl alcohol were negative correlated with OTA production, showing their implication in the antiochratoxigenic effect. These results can be used to establish new lowinvasive strategies in the dry-cured ham industry.