Perillaldehyde, a potential preservative agent in foods: Assessment of antifungal activity against microbial spoilage of cherry tomatoes

•0.5 and 0.08 mL/L perillaldehyde in the air totally inhibited mycelial growth.•Exposure to perillaldehyde inhibited spore germination in a dose-dependent manner.•Perillaldehyde inhibited synthesis of aflatoxin B1 at 0.4 mL/L.•Practical efficacy of perillaldehyde was established as fumigant in cherry tomatoes.

The application of natural preservatives has recently become a very attractive method of controlling postharvest decay. The objective of this study was to test the antifungal properties of perillaldehyde (PAE) in vitro and in vivo against four spoilage fungi of cherry tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.): Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus oryzae, Aspergillus niger and Alternaria alternata. The effect of PAE was evaluated on the mycelial growth and spore germination in the four tested fungi, as well as mycelium weight and AFB1 content in A. flavus. Effect of PAE in the conservation of cherry tomatoes was also assessed. The mycelial growth of the tested fungi was totally inhibited at 0.5 and 0.08 mL/L PAE in the air at contact and vapor conditions, respectively. Spore germination was inhibited in a dose-dependent during exposure to PAE. PAE inhibited synthesis of aflatoxin B1 by A. flavus at 0.4 mL/L. In vivo experiments indicated that all applied concentrations of PAE inhibited the four tested fungi and a broad spectrum of fungal microbiota growth on cherry tomatoes when compared with the control groups. Thus, PAE would be a promising bioactive compound for use as an alternative natural preservative to control the common postharvest spoilage of cherry tomatoes.