Analytical grade (AG) and industrial grade (IG) of three-food grade antioxidants butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and propyl paraben (PP) were analyzed to prove their fungitoxic effect on Aspergillus section Flavi strains. The effect of interactions among 10 antioxidant treatments at water activity levels (0.982, 0.955, 0.937 aW) for 11 and 35 days of incubation and at 25 °C in peanut grains on mycelial growth (CFU g(-1)) and aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)) accumulation were evaluated. Both antioxidant grade treatments had a significant effect (P < 0.001) on fungal count. All antioxidant treatments showed the highest effectiveness on control of growth of peanut aflatoxigenic strains at 0.937 aW and at 11 days of incubation. Overall, AG and IG binary mixtures M3 (20 + 10 mM), M4 (20 + 20 mM) and ternary mixtures M5 (10 + 10 +10 mM), M6 (10 + 20 + 10 mM), M7 (20 + 10 + 10 mM) and M8 (20 + 20 + 10 mM) were the treatments most effective at inhibiting growth of Aspergillus section Flavi strains. Industrial grade BHA 10 and 20 mM, binary mixtures M1 (10 + 10 mM), M2 (10 + 20 mM), M3 (20 + 10 mM), M4 (20 + 20 mM) and ternary mixtures M5 (10 + 10 + 10 mM), M6 (10 + 20 + 10 mM), M7 (20 + 10 + 10 mM) and M8 (20 + 20 + 10 mM) completely inhibited AFB1 production. The studied results suggest that IG antioxidant mixtures have potential for controlling growth of these mycotoxigenic species and prevent aflatoxin accumulation at the peanut storage system.

The inhibitory effect of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) mixture on fungal populations, Aspergillus section Flavi and aflatoxins accumulation in in-pod peanuts during storage in big bags was investigated. In-pod peanuts were previously conditioned at different water activities (0.94, 0.88, 0.84 and 0.76 aw) and treated with food-grade antioxidants. Both control and treated peanuts were stored for 6 months and sampled at monthly intervals. BHA-BHT mixture reduced the incidence of peanut fungal populations between 0.6-20.4% and between 1.2-33.1% during 1-3 and 4-5 storage months, respectively. Aspergillus section Flavi counts decreased with 36.5%, 46.3% and 77.4% in peanuts conditioned at 0.94, 0.84 and 0.76 aw levels and treated with antioxidants. At the above peanut aw conditions, the treatment applied reduced aflatoxin accumulation by 72.1%, while any effect on this metabolite production was observed at 0.88 aw. The antioxidant formulation used in this study has the potential to control aflatoxigenic populations in in-pod peanuts stored in half-permeable silos at ≤0.84 aw level.

The aim of this study was to investigate antifungal and insecticidal activity of two microencapsulated antioxidants: 2(3)-tert-butyl-4 hydroxyanisole (BHA) and 2,6-di(tert-butyl)-p-cresol (BHT) against Aspergillus section Flavi and Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.), a vector carrier of aflatoxigenic fungi on stored peanuts. Susceptibility of Aspergillus section Flavi, insects, and aflatoxin B1 accumulation in sterile peanut kernels conditioned at two different water activities (aw) (0.83 aw and 0.95 aw) was determined with different doses of antioxidant formulations (10, 20 and 30 mM) during 45 days. Moreover, Aspergillus section Flavi isolation frequency from live and dead insects was evaluated. The BHA formulation completely inhibited Aspergillus section Flavi development regardless of aw and doses assayed. Antifungal effect of microencapsulated BHT was highly dependent on aw, with 86–100% fungal inhibition at 20 and 30 mM, at the lowest aw (0.83 aw) and at the end of the experiment. No aflatoxin accumulation was detected in samples treated with the BHA formulation. In general, low levels of Aspergillus section Flavi were detected in dead insects. Our results show efficacy for 45 days, in addition microencapsulated BHT could be an alternative to control peanut pests in dry kernels.