Sodium Benzoate in the Control of Growth and Aflatoxin Production by Aspergillus parasiticus.

Sodium benzoate, 0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 or 0.4%, was added to a glucose-yeast-salts medium which was inoculated with 1 ml of a spore suspension containing 10 conidia of Aspergillus parasiticus NRRL 2999 and then was incubated at 28°C. Cultures were analyzed after 3, 7 and 10 d for mycelial dry weight, pH and accumulation of aflatoxin B and G. Amounts of aflatoxin produced were determined using reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The percentage of inhibition or stimulation by the additive was used to make comparisons between treatments and control. Generally, increasing the concentration of sodium benzoate increased the percentage of inhibition at the end of incubation (10 d). However, the average accumulation of mycelial dry weight was greater in the presence of benzoate than in its absence, with the greatest increase occurring when the medium contained 0.3% sodium benzoate.