UTILIZATION OF NANO CHITOSAN AS
INHIBITOR OF FUSARIUM GROWTH
IN FOODS
Fusarium species are well-known plant pathogens and food contaminants and they appeared as one of the most important groups of medically significant fungi. Of these species of fungi, Fusarium graminearum infects corn and other cereal crops causing the reduction of yield and quality. It has the ability to produce zearalenone (ZEN) which is an estrogenic mycotoxin causes severe health hazards to human and animals. The current study was conducted to prepare and characterize chitosan nanoparticles (COS-NPs), determine its antifungal activity against different isolated fungi in particular its effect on the growth of Fusarium graminearum and ZEN production. The inhibitory effect of different concentrations of COS-NPs on fungal growth and ZEN production in talbina prepared from contaminated barley flour and on the shelf life of stored apple were also studied.