Performance evaluation of essential oils as antifungal agent in maize maintained with different water activity values

Abstract

Essential oils represent a potential source of active principles that can be used as pesticides to combat fungi, bacteria, worms and insects. There are several reports in the literature about the antifungal potential of essential oils. However, most of the antifungal activity was evaluated using a culture medium as a substrate, and only one level of water activity was in the evaluation. At the same time, there are published data showing that the type of substrate and water activity level can influence the results of the evaluation of antifungal capacity. Thus, this research project will aim to evaluate the performance of a mixture of antifungal essential oils of E. staigeriana and E. grandis, on corn in equilibrium under three conditions of water activity. Evaluation will be conducted using corn grain as a substrate in two situations. Evaluations will be held on irradiated corn added with an inoculum of Aspergillus flavus and also in non-irradiated corn, or with the natural microflora and added inoculum of A. flavus.(AU)