EFFECT OF PROPIONIC-ACID ON FUNGAL GROWTH AND AFLATOXIN PRODUCTION INMOIST INSHELL GROUNDNUTS

The effect of propionic acid (as ammonium salt) at 3.0 g/kg (PAI) and 5.0 g/kg (PA2) of inshell groundnuts (IG) was studied in laboratory co nditions to verify its efficiency against fungal growth and anatoxin ( AF) production in rehydrated IG (16-18% moisture content). Fungal grow th and aflatoxin contamination were evaluated on IG and their kernels before treatment (dry and rehydrated IG) and on days 7, 14, 21 and 28 of incubation. PA1 treatment was ineffective in controlling fungal gro wth from day 14 on, when the average counts of treated samples were si milar to those observed for control samples. Concerning the control of anatoxin production, this treatment was effective till the 14th day o f application. PAZ treatment was efficient during the whole evaluation periods since the production of aflatoxins remained below 30 mu g/kg of B-1+G(1) and the average counts of total and aflatoxigenic fungi we re equivalent to those observed in dry IG samples (before rehydration) .