Resumo

GRECO, Mariana; POSE, Graciela  e  PARDO, Alejandro. Growth characterization and predictive behavior of Eurotium species in a feedstuff matrix. Rev. argent. microbiol. [online]. 2021, vol.53, n.3, pp.11-20. ISSN 0325-7541.

Animal feeds are characterized by low water activity values. Nevertheless, fungal contamination withEurotiumspecies are quite common, causing nutritional depletion, spoilage and economic losses.

The aim of this work was to assessEurotiumamstelodami,E. chevalieri,E. repensandE. rubrumgrowth in a feed matrix at different conditions of water activity (0.71-0.97) and temperature (5, 15, 25, 30 and 37°C).

It was found thatEurotiumspecies are able to grow in a wide range of water activity and temperature in a short period of time (7 days) and faster than in synthetic media. Rosso and probabilistic models were applied in order to determine the limiting and optimum growth conditions as well as growth probability at certain combinations of environmental factors. Both models provided an accurate fit to the cardinal parameters and good performance for growth/no growth cases.

This is the first report assessing the growth parameters ofEurotiumspecies directly in animal feed. Data obtained in the present study is useful to predict and avoidEurotiumspecies growth in animal feed.

Palavras-chave : Eurotium Feed matrix Environmental factors Wateractivity Modeling.