Effect of aw and CO2 level on Aspergillus flavus growth and aflatoxin production in high moisture maize post-harvest

The potential for using modified atmospheres of 25–75% CO2 (balanced with N2) and water activity (aw, 0.95, 0.92) to control Aspergillus flavus development and aflatoxin B1 production has been evaluated (a) on synthetic medium and (b) on maize grain during storage for up to 21 days at 25 °C. On agar medium up to 75% CO2 at both 0.95 and 0.92 aw significant inhibition of growth was obtained (P < 0.05). In stored grain inoculated with spores of A. flavus there was significantly higher populations of the species at 0.95 aw than 0.92 aw. Up to 75% CO2 resulted in an inhibition of the populations of A. flavus isolated from the grain. Contrasting aflatoxin B1 production was obtained on agar and in stored maize grain. On agar, greatest amounts were produced at 0.92 aw, while more was produced at 0.95 aw on maize grain. Overall, the efficacy of controlled atmospheres × aw showed that treatment with 25% CO2 could be sufficient to efficiently reduce A. flavus development but at least 50% CO2 was required to obtain a significant reduction of aflatoxin synthesis.