title: Natural formation of styrene by cinnamon mold flora.
abstract: Tests on 106 dried pure cinnamon samples of diverse origins showed that some samples were naturally contaminated with high levels of styrene, up to 524 microg/g. Styrene taint can be associated with high water activity levels and thus with microorganism growth. The mold flora of a Korintji cinnamon sample in which styrene had been found at a 50 microg/g concentration was analyzed and 5 species of mold were isolated. An investigation into the ability of the 5 species of mold to produce styrene showed that 3 of them--namely, Penicillium citrinum, Penicillium oxalicum, Aspergillus niger--produced styrene in vitro in buffered peptone water at 25 degrees C within 5 d in the presence of several natural cinnamon volatile constituents containing the styrene structure. The conversion of these compounds into styrene by these 3 cinnamon fungal species has never been previously reported. A standardized inoculation with the 3 mold species was carried out on 10 g cinnamon samples of various origins followed by a 10-d incubation and highlighting styrene production except for Sri Lanka origin.
authors.affiliation: McCormick France, McCormick Europe Central Analysis Laboratory, 84210 Carpentras, France. jlafeuille@fr.mccormick.com
authors.forename: J-L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Lafeuille
authors.forename: M-L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Buniak
authors.forename: M-C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Vioujas
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lefevre
mesh_terms: D000171:Acrolein / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D001230:Aspergillus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D002934:Cinnamates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D032904:Cinnamomum aromaticum / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000382:microbiology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis / Q000517:prevention & control; D005658:Fungi / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009090:Mucorales / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry; D010143:Paecilomyces / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010407:Penicillium / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D024301:Plant Bark / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000382:microbiology*; D020058:Styrene / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D002934:Cinnamates; D003603:Cytotoxins; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D020058:Styrene; D000171:Acrolein; C012843:cinnamaldehyde