Mapping Aspergillus niger Metabolite Biomarkers for In Situ and Early Evaluation of Table Grapes Contamination

Author(s)

Belinato, Joao Raul ^{[1, 2]} ; Costa, Carina Pedrosa ^{[3, 4]} ; Almeida, Adelaide ^{[5, 6]} ; Rocha, Silvia M. ^{[3, 4]} ; Augusto, Fabio ^{[1, 2]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Campinas, Inst Chem, BR-13083970 Campinas - Brazil

^[2] Natl Inst Sci & Technol Bioanal INCTBio, BR-13083970 Campinas - Brazil

^[3] Univ Aveiro, Dept Chem, P-3810193 Aveiro - Portugal

^[4] Univ Aveiro, LAQV REQUIMTE, P-3810193 Aveiro - Portugal

^[5] Univ Aveiro, Dept Biol, P-3810193 Aveiro - Portugal

^[6] Univ Aveiro, CESAM, P-3810193 Aveiro - Portugal

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: FOODS; v. 10, n. 11 NOV 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

The Aspergillus niger exometabolome was recently investigated using advanced gas chromatography in tandem with multivariate analysis, which allowed a metabolite biomarker pattern to be proposed. Microbial metabolomics patterns have gained enormous relevance, mainly due to the amount of information made available, which may be useful in countless processes. One of the great challenges in microbial metabolomics is related to applications in more complex systems of metabolomics information obtained from studies carried out in culture media, as complications may occur due to the dynamic nature of biological systems. Thus, the main objective of this research was to evaluate the applicability of the A. niger metabololite biomarkers pattern for in situ and early evaluation of table grapes contamination, used as study model. A. niger is a ubiquitous fungus responsible for food contamination, being reported as one of the main agents of the black mold disease, a serious post-harvest pathology of table grapes. This work included analysis from 1 day of growth time of pure A. niger cultures, A. niger cultures obtained from previously contaminated grapes, and finally, an in situ solid-phase microextraction (SPME) approach directly on previously contaminated table grapes. Supervised multivariate analysis was performed which revealed that after 1 day of inoculation it was possible to detect A. niger biomarkers, which can be extremely useful in making this type of method possible for the rapid detection of food contamination. The results obtained confirm the potential applicability of the pattern of A. niger biomarkers for early detection of the fungi (after 1 day of contamination), and may be further explored for access food susceptibility to fungi contamination, based on direct analysis of the food item. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/20547-2 - Characterization of the metabolome of anti-phytopatogen microorganisms by Multidimensional Gas Chromatography and Simple / Tandem Mass Spectrometry (GC×GC-QMS and GC×GC-MS/MS)
• Grantee: Joao Raul Belinato de Souza
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate