title: A study on the physicochemical parameters for Penicillium expansum growth and patulin production: effect of temperature, pH, and water activity.
abstract: Penicillium expansum is among the most ubiquitous fungi disseminated worldwide, that could threaten the fruit sector by secreting patulin, a toxic secondary metabolite. Nevertheless, we lack sufficient data regarding the growth and the toxigenesis conditions of this species. This work enables a clear differentiation between the favorable conditions to the P. expansum growth and those promising for patulin production. A mathematical model allowing the estimation of the P. expansum growth rate according to temperature, a W, and pH, was also developed. An optimal growth rate of 0.92 cm/day was predicted at 24°C with pH level of 5.1 and high a W level of 0.99. The model's predictive capability was tested successfully on artificial contaminated apples. This model could be exploited by apple growers and the industrialists of fruit juices in order to predict the development of P. expansum during storage and apple processing.
authors.affiliation: Unité de Technologie et Valorisation Alimentaire Centre d'Analyses et de Recherche Université Saint-Joseph Campus des Sciences et Technologies Mar Roukos, Mkallès, P.O Box 11- 514, Riad El Solh 1107 2050 Beirut Lebanon; Research Centre in Food Toxicology INRAUMR 1331 Toxalim 180 Chemin de Tournefeuille F-31027 Toulouse Cedex France; Université de Toulouse IIIENVTINPUMR 1331 Toxalim F-31076 Toulouse France.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tannous
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microorganisms and Food Irradiation Lebanese Atomic Energy Commission-CNRS P.O. Box 11-8281, Riad El Solh 1107 2260 Beirut Lebanon; Department of Biology Faculty of Sciences Laboratory of Microbiology Lebanese University Hadath Campus Beirut Lebanon.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Atoui
authors.affiliation: Unité de Technologie et Valorisation Alimentaire Centre d'Analyses et de Recherche Université Saint-Joseph Campus des Sciences et Technologies Mar Roukos, Mkallès, P.O Box 11- 514, Riad El Solh 1107 2050 Beirut Lebanon.
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: El Khoury
authors.affiliation: Unité de Technologie et Valorisation Alimentaire Centre d'Analyses et de Recherche Université Saint-Joseph Campus des Sciences et Technologies Mar Roukos, Mkallès, P.O Box 11- 514, Riad El Solh 1107 2050 Beirut Lebanon.
authors.forename: Ziad
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Francis
authors.affiliation: Research Centre in Food Toxicology INRAUMR 1331 Toxalim 180 Chemin de Tournefeuille F-31027 Toulouse Cedex France; Université de Toulouse IIIENVTINPUMR 1331 Toxalim F-31076 Toulouse France.
authors.forename: Isabelle P
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: Oswald
authors.affiliation: Research Centre in Food Toxicology INRAUMR 1331 Toxalim 180 Chemin de Tournefeuille F-31027 Toulouse Cedex France; Université de Toulouse IIIENVTINPUMR 1331 Toxalim F-31076 Toulouse France.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Puel
authors.affiliation: Unité de Technologie et Valorisation Alimentaire Centre d'Analyses et de Recherche Université Saint-Joseph Campus des Sciences et Technologies Mar Roukos, Mkallès, P.O Box 11- 514, Riad El Solh 1107 2050 Beirut Lebanon.
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lteif
keywords: Growth rate; Penicillium expansum; pH; patulin production; predictive mycology; temperature; water activity