Patulin Production in Apples Stored in a Controlled Atmosphere

Abstract

Abstract Red Delicious apples were inoculated with Penicillium expansum NRRL 973 or P. expansutn 1071 (fresh apple isolate), and incubated in air at 33°F and in a controlled atmosphere of 1% carbon dioxide, 3% oxygen, and 96% nitrogen at 33°F. Both fungal strains produced the carcinogen, patulin, in the air-incubated lots, but only the freshly isolated strain (1071) produced detectable patulin in controlled atmosphere lots. Thin layer chromatography was used to assay ethyl acetate extracts of juice pressed from blended apple tissue. We conclude that naturally occurring P. expansum strains are capable of producing significant levels of patulin in apples stored from 3 to 6 months under controlled atmospheric conditions.