Inhibition of ochratoxin A production and growth of Aspergillus species by phenolic antioxidant compounds

The phenolic antioxidants, gallic acid, vanillic acid, protocatechuic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, catechin, caffeic acid, and chlorogenic acid were studied for their effects on ochratoxin A (OTA) production and fungal growth of ochratoxigenic Aspergilli. Of the 12 strains tested, which included A. alliaceus, A. lanosus, A. ochraceus, A. albertensis, A. melleus, A. sulphureus, A. carbonarius, A. elegans, and A. sclerotiorum, the greatest inhibition of OTA production was seen in A. sulphureus, A. elegans, and A. lanosus. Vanillic acid and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid were the most inhibitory to both OTA production and growth of most of the strains tested. However, A.␣ochraceus was not inhibited by either compound, and A. carbonarius was not inhibited by vanillic acid. The effect of each compound on OTA production and growth differed among strains and generally was variable, suggesting that species-specific OTA production and response to phenolic compounds may be influenced by different ecological and developmental factors. In addition, inhibition of OTA production by antioxidant compounds may be useful in determining biosynthetic and regulatory genes involved in both OTA production and stress response in ochratoxigenic Aspergilli.