Tenuazonic acid in Brazilian barley grains: occurrence, fungi, and ecophysiological aspects

• Grant number: 19/02456-8
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: May 01, 2019
• End date: October 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Science
• Principal Investigator: Benedito Corrêa
• Grantee: Benedito Corrêa
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Barley (Hordeumvulgare L. sp. Vulgare) is the fourth most important cereal worldwide, preceded by wheat, rice and corn. It has been used in the industrialization of beverages, flours, medicines, diabetic products and animal feed as fodder and feed manufacturing. In Brazil, malting has been the main economic application of barley, with annual consumption by the brewing industry estimated at one million tons. In recent years, important food safety committees have related to the risk of contamination by tenuazonic acid (TA), a toxin mainly produced by Alternaria spp. and Epicoccum sorghinum, in cereals and feeds. One of the main recommendations suggested by these committees is the intensification of studies on the toxicological aspects and the occurrence of this toxin in food, in view of the toxic effects caused by exposure to several animals and their association with hemorrhagic disorders in humans. In view of these facts, together with the lack of studies of occurrence of Tenuazonic Acid in barley grains in Brazil as well as the susceptibility of this substrate to Alternaria species of this toxin, the objetive of the present investigation was to evaluate the natural occurrence of tenuazonic acid in barley samples and to characterize the main species responsible for the TA production (Alternaria spp). In addition, we will access the ecophysiological response of Alternaria spp. strains to evaluate the optimum condition (water activity and temperature) for TA production. Finally, the expression of the TAS1 gene responsible for AT biosynthesis will also be studied These data will produce crucial information on the mycotoxicological aspects associated with barley cultivation in the country and will assist in obtaining grains with quality and safety intended for human and animal consumption. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

WANDERLEY PORTO, MARIA CAROLINA; DE SOUZA DE AZEVEDO, PAMELA OLIVEIRA; LOURENCO, FELIPE REBELLO; CONVERTI, ATTILIO; VITOLO, MICHELE; DE SOUZA OLIVEIRA, RICARDO PINHEIRO. Effect of Polydextrose on the Growth of Pediococcus pentosaceus as Well as Lactic Acid and Bacteriocin-like Inhibitory Substances (BLIS) Production. MICROORGANISMS, v. 10, n. 10, p. 18-pg., 2022-10-01. (18/25511-1, 19/02456-8)

DE OLIVEIRA, RODRIGO CARDOSO; NOBREGA MENDONCA, CARLOS MIGUEL; VERISSIMO, NATHALIA VIEIRA; YOKOMIZO DE ALMEIDA, SONIA REGINA; CORREA, BENEDITO; WATANABE, II-SEI; DE SOUZA DE AZEVEDO, PAMELA OLIVEIRA; DE SOUZA OLIVEIRA, RICARDO PINHEIRO. Evaluating the potential of Pediococcus pentosaceus as a biocontrol agent against tenuazonic acid-producing Alternaria alternata on livestock feeds. Journal of Applied Microbiology, v. 133, n. 5, p. 10-pg., 2022-08-10. (19/16551-2, 20/13271-6, 18/25511-1, 20/14144-8, 20/10676-5, 19/02456-8)