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Decontamination potential of date palm fruit via non-thermal plasma technique.

ABSTRACT: The potential of the surface dielectric barrier discharge technique (SDBD) was evaluated to decontaminate the date palm fruit. Preliminary investigations emphasized that Aspergillus niger fungus was predominant in most date samples as a post-harvest infestation. The influence of SDBD techniques on the viability of A. niger isolated from date varieties was investigated and documented. Physical and chemical characterizations of treated dates were assessed, and statistical correlation coefficients were calculated and elucidated. A 4 log₁₀ reduction of A. niger radial growth was observed at 3 min exposure/15 days of incubation. Simultaneous reductions in pH, water activity, and moisture content of treated dates were observed when compared to untreated dates. Statistical analysis showed a positive correlation between physical and chemical variables with the viability of A. niger in treated samples. Therefore, we believe that SDBD treatment will be a promising technique for decontaminating date fruits from attacked fungi, which will positively impact sustainable food security and consumer health.

SUBMITTER: Lotfy K

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9569378 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Decontamination potential of date palm fruit via non-thermal plasma technique.

Lotfy Khaled K Al-Qahtani Salem S Al-Harbi Nadi N El-Absy Karima K Shulaybi Faisal Bu FB Alali Saeed S Mashtoly Tamer T

Scientific reports 20221015 1

The potential of the surface dielectric barrier discharge technique (SDBD) was evaluated to decontaminate the date palm fruit. Preliminary investigations emphasized that Aspergillus niger fungus was predominant in most date samples as a post-harvest infestation. The influence of SDBD techniques on the viability of A. niger isolated from date varieties was investigated and documented. Physical and chemical characterizations of treated dates were assessed, and statistical correlation coefficients ...[more]

PMID: 36243776

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Project description:Due to its nutritional value and health benefits, the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is an essential dietary food crop throughout Middle Eastern and African countries. Consumers are concerned about the possible microbial contamination of dates, especially since most dates arriving in local markets are unprocessed. The absence of processing increases the possibility of microbial contamination, which raises the probability of microbial contamination. This study aims to analyze and evaluate the variability of fungal and bacterial microbiota identified in the most popular date palm fruits in Saudi Arabia. The study assessed ten date variety fruits from the most popular date palm varieties for consumption in Saudi Arabia and analyzed the microbial count. Morphological and molecular characterization and comparison of nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences identified 78 fungi, including 36 distinct species across 15 fungal genera. Alternaria, Fusarium, Curvilaria, Aspergillus, and Penicillium were the most frequent genera among the ten fruit cultivars studied, according to ITS-rDNA sequence analysis. Furthermore, 36 bacterial isolates were obtained from ten date varieties studied, each with a unique colony morphology. These isolates were identified based on sequence alignment and comparison of their 16S rDNA internal spacer regions to those available in public databases. The results showed that the bacterial isolates included 15 species from five bacterial genera. The results suggested that Bacillus, Stenotrophomonas, and Brucella were the prevailing genera among the ten tested fruit varieties. Some bacterial genera, such as Brucella, Achromobacter, and Stenotrophomonas, are well-known potential human pathogens. Chaetomium globosum was also recognized as air pollution causing adverse health effects such as allergies and as the causal agent of human fungal infections among the tested date varieties; the Rashodiah type exhibited the highest fungal contamination, whereas the Sagai variety displayed the lowest fungal contamination. Conversely, the Sukkari, Barhi, and Mejdool varieties were the most contaminated with bacteria among the ten tested varieties, while the Khalas variety showed the least bacterial contamination. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study provides the initial comprehensive account of the molecular and morphological identification of all fungal and bacterial genera associated with date palm (P. dactylifera) fruits.

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Decontamination potential of date palm fruit via non-thermal plasma technique.

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Decontamination potential of date palm fruit via non-thermal plasma technique.

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