Development of an Antifungal Device Based on Oriental Mustard Flour to Prevent Fungal Growth and Aflatoxin B1 Production in Almonds

The present study describes the manufacture of an antifungal device composed of oriental mustard flour and hydroxyethyl-cellulose (H-OMF) and evaluates its efficacity in inhibiting Aspergillus flavus growth and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) production in almonds. Additionally, it compares the H-OMF with allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) and a freeze-dried extract of yellow mustard flour (YMF-E); such substances were previously described as antifungal. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), Minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC), the H-OMF in vitro antifungal activity, and the residual fungal population, as well as the production of AFB1 in almonds were determined. AITC and YMF-E showed significant antifungal activity in vitro. Additionally, the in vitro activity of H-OMF avoided mycelial growth by applying 30 mg/L. Almonds treated with AITC (5.07, 10.13, and 20.26 mg/L) and H-OMF (2000 and 4000 mg/L) showed a reduction in the population of A. flavus and the production of AFB1 to values below the limit of detection. YMF-E showed effectiveness by in vitro methodologies (MIC and MFC) but did not show efficacy when applied in almonds. Our findings indicated that the hydroxyethyl-cellulose-based device containing oriental mustard flour might be utilised as a fumigant to increase the safety of almonds and could be extended to other cereals or dry fruits.

Estimation of Pesticide Residues on Leafy Vegetables Using a Developed Handheld Spectrometer

In this study, a rapid and non-destructive detection model for pesticide residues on leafy vegetables was presented using a developed portable spectrometer. VIS/NIR spectra of three vegetable samples, including lettuce, oriental mustard, and bok choy, were analyzed at the range of 380 – 840 nm. Stepwise multiple linear regression (SMLR) models were developed based on chemical reference measurements and the spectral information of the leaf samples after performing the pre-processing method. Furthermore, a data acquisition interface was developed by Matlab GUI. Results of SMLR procedure indicated good performance for detection of indoxacarb and chlorantraniliprole with R2 ≥ 0.90. A fairly good model (0.90 > R2 > 0.80) was obtained for carbendazim in lettuce, whereas a poor model was found for emamectin-benzoate with R2 ≤ 0.80. It was concluded that pesticide residues on leafy vegetables could be predicted using our developed handheld spectrometer. It can also be generalized for the prediction of other pesticide components in agricultural products.

Chinese Mustard Cultivation Guide for Florida

Chinese mustard is a nutritious leafy vegetable in the family Brassicaceae. Chinese mustard also goes by many common names, such as brown mustard, mustard greens, leaf mustard, Indian mustard, Oriental mustard, and vegetable mustard. Although it is considered a weed in a few states, such as Michigan, this species is not listed as invasive in Florida and has been cultivated in several counties, including Levy, Palm Beach, and Miami-Dade. This new 8-page publication of the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department provides a short cultivation guide as well as information on the uses and marketability of Chinese mustard. Written by Yuheng Qiu, Mary Dixon, and Guodong Liu.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1402

Development of a Bioactive Sauce Based on Oriental Mustard Flour with Antifungal Properties for Pita Bread Shelf Life Improvement

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin produced in the secondary metabolism of fungus belonging to the genus Aspergillus and Penicillium. In this study, the employment of oriental mustard flour (OMF) as an ingredient in a packaged sauce was evaluated for the generation in situ of the antimicrobial compound allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) in order to preserve pita bread contaminated with Penicillium verrucosum VTT D-01847, an OTA producer, in an active packaging system. Four different concentrations (8, 16, 33 and 50 mg/g) were tested. Mycelium formation, mycotoxin production, AITC absorbed by the food matrix, and volatilization kinetics were studied for each concentration. The results obtained were compared with bread treated with the commercial additive calcium propionate (E-282). The results showed a shelf life increase of two and three days with the employment of 33 and 50 mg/g of OMF, with a significant reduction of the fungal population (3.1 and 5.7 logs, respectively) in comparison with the control experiment. The use of 16 and 33 mg/g of OMF in the sauce formulation decreased the concentration of OTA in the bread samples while no OTA production was detected employing 50 mg/g of OMF.

AAC Brown 120 brown mustard

AAC Brown 120 is a double-haploid (DH) brown mustard (Brassica juncea) variety. It was produced using a microspore culture from F1 hybrid plants resulting from a cross between the elite brown mustard DH line B474DH100 and the elite oriental mustard DH line O60DH151. AAC Brown 120 has significantly higher (12%) yield than the check variety Centennial Brown. It is resistant to white rust races 2a and 2v, whereas Centennial Brown is susceptible to races 2a and 2v. AAC Brown 120 is well adapted to all mustard-growing areas of western Canada.

AAC Oriental 200 oriental mustard

AAC Oriental 200 is a doubled-haploid line. It was produced via microspore culture from the F1 hybrid plants resulting from a cross between the oriental mustard cultivars Cutlass and Forge. AAC Oriental 200 has a higher (7%) yield than the check cultivar Cutlass and similar levels of blackleg and white rust resistance. AAC Oriental 200 is well adapted to all mustard growing areas of western Canada.