Cereal Chem 63:82-85   |  VIEW ARTICLE
Carbon Dioxide and Aflatoxin Production in High-Moisture Corn Treated with Potassium Sorbate.

S.-J. Lee, M. A. Hanna, and L. B. Bullerman. Copyright 1986 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

Potassium sorbate was evaluated as a potential preservative for storage of whole kernel yellow dent corn containing 18, 24, and 30% moisture. Growth of pure cultures of Aspergillus parasiticus NRRL 2999 and Fusarium roseum (graminearum) Mapleton-10 inoculated onto sterile autoclaved corn were monitored by visual observation of mycelial development and carbon dioxide (CO2) production. Mycotoxin production by the pure cultures was also measured. In general, mycotoxin and CO2 production were reduced with increasing levels of sorbate. However, samples treated with 0.5% sorbate and inoculated with A. parasiticus contained about the same amount of aflatoxin as the control at the end of incubation period. The sorbate was more effective on corn with lower moisture content and in sealed containers, where high concentrations of CO2 accumulated during incubation. Growth of F. roseum was completely inhibited by 0.5% sorbate.