Inhibition of Mold Growth and Aflatoxin Production by Lactobacillus spp

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Abstract
The effect of three individual species of lactobacilli (Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. bulgaricus, and L. plantarum) and a commercial silage inoculant, containing three different strains of the same species, on growth and aflatoxin production of A. flavus subsp. parasiticus NRRL 2999 was determined. The study was done in three substrates; a liquid semi-synthetic broth, rice, and corn. The effect of the growing cell masses of the lactobacilli as well as the effect of metabolic products contained in cell free filtrates were determined in the liquid medium. The cells were effective in preventing growth of the mold, and bacterial metabolites were effective in reducing the amount of aflatoxin produced, although growth was not affected. The prevention of growth that was observed was determined to be relative to a pH effect and microbial competition; however, the lower levels of aflatoxin obtained in the presence of cell free supernatant culture fluids could not be explained on the basis of pH or competition. Mold growth was not affected by the presence of the silage inoculant on the rice and corn. However, increased levels of aflatoxin B1 were observed in the presence of the silage inoculant on rice, and decreased levels of aflatoxin G1 were observed on the presence of the silage inoculant on corn.