Evaluation of Penicillium expansum for growth, patulin accumulation, nonvolatile compounds and volatile profile in kiwi juices of different cultivars

- P. expansum grow and produce PAT in kiwi juice from eight cultivars.
- P. expansum contamination cause significant changes of chemical compounds of kiwi juice.
- P. expansum infection in each variety of kiwi juice induce a distinct VOCs profile.
- VOCs of P. expansum provide possibility to identify strong/weak PAT-producers.
- Four compounds are potential biomarkers for P. expansum infection in kiwi juice.

Patulin (PAT) contamination and changes of nonvolatile and volatile compounds caused by Penicillium expansum in fresh juices of 8 kiwi cultivars were investigated. Growth and PAT production of P. expansum were greater at 25 °C than at 4 °C. P. expansum grew in kiwi juices under pH ranging from 2.75 to 3.27 and produced 45.10-268.88 μg/mL of PAT at 25 °C. Decreases occurred in malic acid and soluble protein; while consumption and production simultaneously happened for reducing sugar, total soluble solid, titratable acid, citric acid, ascorbic acid and total phenolics. A large number of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were produced during infection and each cultivar presented a distinct profile. Most of the alcohols, acids, ketones and phenols increased while aldehydes decreased. VOCs that were specific to infected kiwi juices are potential biomarkers for GC-MS analysis of kiwifruit infected by P. expansum.