Farming system effect on the incidence of Aspergillus carbonarius on Kotsifali grapes and ochratoxin A occurrence in wines of Crete.

Farming system effect on the incidence of Aspergillus carbonarius on Kotsifali grapes and ochratoxin A occurrence in wines of Crete.

J Food Prot. 2020 Jun 05;:

Authors: Kontaxakis E, Fysarakis I, Lydakis D, Magan N

Abstract
During grape cultivation and wine production, the most effective way to prevent ochratoxin A (OTA) contamination of grapes and wine is the control of ochratoxigenic fungal species, and especially Aspergillus carbonarius, using the appropriate cultivation techniques. In this study, the influence of Organic (OFS) and Integrated (IFS) farming systems, on the incidence of A. carbonarius on grapes, and OTA contamination of wine, were examined. Mycological analysis of grapes, collected from Kotsifali cultivar (Vitis vinifera L.) vineyards, grown under two different farming systems (OFS and IFS), performed on two growing seasons. Moreover, at the same two growing seasons, OTA levels of representative wine samples from the wineries located in the same area, made from the same cultivar (single-varietal or co-vinificated with Mandilari) grown under the two farming systems, were determined. The results showed that the different farming systems had a significant influence on the incidence of A. carbonarius , with the IFS being the most effective regarding the control of the fungus and the prevention of OTA occurrence in wine. The knowledge could offer viticulturists a useful tool to produce safer grapes, giving the advantage to the winemakers to make low OTA levels wines.

PMID: 32502241 [PubMed – as supplied by publisher]

Source: Industry