Impact of environmental factors on the growth kinetics and mycotoxin profiles of Alternaria spp. in oat grains

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorLlorens-Serentill, Enric
dc.contributor.authorNazareth de Melo, Tiago
dc.contributor.authorRamos Girona, Antonio J.
dc.contributor.authorCosta, Jean Carlos Correia Peres
dc.contributor.authorMarín Sillué, Sònia
dc.date.accessioned2026-05-28T11:34:16Z
dc.date.available2026-05-28T11:34:16Z
dc.date.issued2026
dc.description.abstractAlternaria spp. represent a threat to oat safety due to their ability to produce mycotoxins such as alternariol (AOH), alternariol monomethyl ether (AME), tenuazonic acid (TeA), and tentoxin (TEN). This study developed predictive models to describe the growth kinetics and mycotoxin production potential of Alternaria alternata and Alternaria arborescens on γ-irradiated oat grains under combined temperature (5–40 ◦C) and water activity (0.90–0.98) conditions. Four toxigenic isolates from oats (three A. alternata and one A. arborescens) were assessed in a full-factorial design. Mycelial growth was modelled using a primary simplified Baranyi model and secondary models (Cardinal Model with Inflection and gamma-concept) to estimate cardinal parameters (Tmin, Topt, Tmax, aw (min), aw(opt), μRopt). A. alternata exhibited higher thermotolerance (Tmax ≈40 ◦C) than A. arborescens (Tmax ≈ 35 ◦C), with optimal growth at 27–29 ◦C and aw ≥0.98 for both species. Growth and toxin production were strongly restricted below aw 0.90. Under optimal aw conditions, AOH peaked at 30 ◦C for A. alternata isolates (322–398 mg/kg) and at 20 ◦C for A. arborescens (92 mg/kg); AME reached its maximum at 25 ◦C for both species (17–175 mg/kg and 1067 mg/kg for A. alternata and A. arborescens, respectively); TeA also peaked at 25 ◦C (357–800 mg/kg and 357 mg/kg, respectively); and TEN was mainly produced by A. alternata 25 ◦C (1.25–1.8 mg/kg), while A. arborescens produced only minimal levels at 20 ◦C (≤0.05 mg/kg). These differences suggest a potential competitive advantage for the more thermotolerant A. alternata under projected Mediterranean climate warming scenarios, which may alter fungal species dominance and mycotoxin contamination patterns in oats. The predictive models provide a robust quantitative tool for risk assessment and for designing mitigation strategies across oat production and storage.
dc.description.sponsorshipThe author Enric Llorens-Serentill thanks the Department of Research and Universities of the Generalitat de Catalunya and the European Social Fund Plus for funding through the Joan Or´ o Predoctoral Grant Program (2025 FI-1 00221). The author Tiago Nazareth thanks the Juan de la Cierva fellowship (Grant JDC2023-050557-I), funded by MCIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and the European Social Fund Plus (FSE+).
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111841
dc.identifier.issn0168-1605
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10459.1/470359
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherElsevier
dc.relationinfo:eu-repo/grantAgreement/AEI/Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica y Técnica y de Innovación 2023-2026/PID2023-148722OB-I00/ES/DESCIFRANDO EL RIESGO POR MICOTOXINAS EN MAÍZ Y AVENA ESPAÑOLES EN UN CONTEXTO DE CAMBIO CLIMÁTICO/
dc.relation.isformatofReproducció del document publicat a https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111841
dc.relation.ispartofInternational Journal of Food Microbiology, 2026, vol. 457, núm. 111841, p. 1-15
dc.relation.isreferencedbyhttps://doi.org/10.34810/DATA3363
dc.rightscc-by-nc-nd (c) Llorens-Serentill et al., 2026
dc.rightsAttribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International*
dc.rights.accessRightsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/*
dc.subjectAlternaria alternata
dc.subjectAlternaria arborescens
dc.subjectClimate change
dc.subjectPredictive mycology
dc.subjectOat
dc.subjectAlternaria toxins
dc.titleImpact of environmental factors on the growth kinetics and mycotoxin profiles of Alternaria spp. in oat grains
dc.typeinfo:eu-repo/semantics/article
dc.type.versioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
intjoufoomic_a2026v457n111841p1.pdf
Size:
3.19 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
license.txt
Size:
639 B
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download
Collections
Articles publicats (Tecnologia, Enginyeria i Ciència dels Aliments)
Articles publicats (Agrotecnio Center)
Publicacions de projectes de recerca del Plan Nacional