Abstract
The improvement of disinfection applications for hard contact surfaces in food processing is critical for the control and prevention of disease-causing and food spoilage microorganisms. The objective in this study was to determine the efficiency of the antifungal agent benzalkonium chloride on growth and/or spore germination of postharvest fruit pathogenic fungi (Aspergillus spp., Penicillum spp., and Alternae alternate) in vitro. The benzalkonium chloride was found to be active against all fungal species but to a different extent. Addition of ethylenediamine-tetraacetic acid and its sodium salt increased the sensitivity of fungi to benzalkonium chloride. Thus, integrated washing and sanitizing with benzalkonium chloride or homologous surface active compounds combined with ethylenediamine-tetraacetic acid and its sodium salt is promising fungicide candidates for reducing fungal contamination of storage.
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Basaran, P. Inhibition effect of belzalkonium chloride treatment on growth of common food contaminating fungal species. J Food Sci Technol 48, 515–519 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-011-0268-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-011-0268-5