Reduction of in-shell Brazil nut ( Bertholletia excelsa H.B.K.) aflatoxin contamination by ozone gas application during storage

The susceptibility of the in-shell Brazil nut mycoflora and aflatoxins (AFLs) contamination to ozone (O 3 ) gas during storage is reported. In-shell Brazil nuts obtained from retail market were submitted to O 3 gas atmosphere at different concentrations immediately before to be stored. Samples were collected just after the gas exposure and every 30 days during the storage period to carry on mycological tests and AFLs analysis. A sensorial evaluation by descriptive quality analysis was carried out to check treated nuts sensory attributes according to consumer acceptance after gas exposure. The O 3 treatment applied within 5 h at 31 mg/L was able to successfully inhibit the viability of fungi of the nut-contaminating microflora and so the toxigenic Aspergillus species from the day of application. AFLs were totally degraded in all samples whatever O 3 concentration applied. No significant changes on sensory attributes were observed that could affect nut acceptability  after the O 3 treatments and storage conditions applied in the present experiment. This procedure is tentatively applied at an Amazon State nut factory for checking its potential in mycotoxin risk contamination of in-shell Brazil nuts safeguarding under the Amazon region environment. Keywords : In-shell Brazil nut, Ozone, Mycoflora, Aflatoxin, Storage, Sensory evaluation.

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