Citation:
A. Medina, N. Magan, Comparisons of water activity and temperature impacts on growth of Fusarium langsethiae strains from northern Europe on oat-based media, International Journal of Food Microbiology, Volume 142, Issue 3, 1 September 2010, Pages 365-369
Abstract:
This study has examined the effect of water activity (aw, 0.995-0.90) and
temperature (10-37°C) on the lag phases prior to growth, growth rates and used
models to develop two dimensional profiles for optimum and marginal conditions
for two strains of Fusarium langsethiae from four northern European countries
(UK, Norway, Sweden, and Finland) on an oat-based medium. Results showed that
the optimum aw for growth was at 0.98-0.995 and 25°C. The limit for growth of
the strains was at 0.92-0.93 aw with minima of 10°C. No growth occurred at 37°C.
The lag phases prior to growth were lowest under optimum conditions and extended
to >10days at marginal conditions. Statistical analyses of intra and inter-
strain differences in terms of both lag phases prior to growth and growth rates
were not statistically significant. However, aw and temperature were
statistically significant factors. Two dimensional profiles for strains from
each country of origin were built to identify optimum and marginal conditions
for F. langsethiae for the first time. These environmental profiles will be
beneficial for improving the ecological knowledge of this species which is able
to produce trichothecene mycotoxins in a range of temperate cereals.