Estudo da eficácia antifúngica de sanitizantes para controle de fungos deteriorantes em indústrias alimentícias

Abstract

Fungi have relevance as agents of food spoilage, and the production environment, including air, is an important source for contamination of products such as bread, cheeses, salami and, cured hams. Thus, the adequate hygiene of these places plays a fundamental role in extending the useful life of these foods. On the other hand, information on the sensitivity of deteriorating fungi from food products to sanitizing agents is still scarce in the literature. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the antifungal activity of different classes of commercial sanitizers, with the permitted use in the food industry, against the main fungi involved in the spoilage of bakery products, dairy products, and meat products. The tests were carried out according to the protocol for testing the antimicrobial effects of chemical sanitizers of the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) and French Standard NF-T-72281. Species of the genus Aspergillus (A. brasiliensis, A. flavus, A. westerdijkiae, A. pseudoglaucus, A. chevalieri), Penicillium (P. roqueforti, P. commune, P. polonicum, P. paneum) and species of Hyphophicia burtonii, Candida albicans, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Mucor hiemalis and, Lichtheima corymbifera were tested against benzalkonium chloride (0.3%, 2.5%, 5%), biguanide (0.3%, 2.5%, 5%), peracetic acid (0.15%, 1.5%, 3%), quaternary ammonia (0.3%, 2.5%, 5%) sodium hypochlorite (0.01%, 0.1%, 0, 2%, 0.5%, 1%) and a smoke generating agent based on orthophenylphenol 15% (1g/m3). Peracetic acid was the most effective sanitizer considering all fungal species tested, followed by benzalkonium chloride and quaternary ammonia, but the efficacy of these agents only occurred at the highest doses recommended by the manufacturer. Biguanide, sodium hypochlorite, and the fuming agent were the least effective sanitizers among all those evaluated in the study. In general, there was variation between the species of fungi tested and also between strains of the same species, especially if they were isolated from different substrates. Spoilage fungi of meat products were the ones that presented greater resistance to the evaluated sanitizers. Thus, the knowledge of the antifungal efficacy of the main sanitizing agents allowed in the food industry against the main species of fungi involved in the spoilage of food can help in the choice of the best agent for industrial hygiene, aiming the fungal control in each specific segment and, therefore, collaborate in the reduction of economic losses caused by fungi.