International journal of food microbiology最新文献

{"title":"Untargeted flavoromics and correlation analysis reveal microbial interactions driving flavor in LAB co-fermented Beita juice.","authors":"Yajie Zhao, Chengjie Tong, Chencheng Gu, Qinwei Xu, Weirong Yao, He Qian, Yuliang Cheng","doi":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111378","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111378","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) co-fermentation has been increasingly recognized as an effective approach to improve the sensory quality of food products. In this study, a novel starter composed of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus (L. rhamnosus), Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (L. plantarum), and Lactobacillus helveticus (L. helveticus) was innovatively applied in co-fermentation of Beita juice, imparting distinctive flavor to the final product. The dynamic changes of key flavor substances, including organic acids (OAs), free amino acids (FAAs), and volatile flavor compounds (VFCs) during fermentation were systematically elucidated. Interaction-network and redundancy analysis (RDA) clearly demonstrated the synergistic effects of the three LAB strains on shaping the flavor profile of the final product, particularly contributing to the formation of mild acidity, umami taste, and enriched fruity-floral aroma. Untargeted metabolomics revealed a prospective impact of LAB co-fermentation on the metabolic profile of Beita juice, resulting in 4 significant differential metabolites including diacetyl, malate, l- (+)-lactic acid, and dl-malic acid out of 278 differential metabolites, consistency to the results of flavor substances analysis. And pathway enrichment analysis further confirmed that pathways associated with energy metabolism (e.g., carbohydrate metabolism) and the biosynthesis of key flavor precursors (particularly amino acid and organic acid metabolism) were significantly enriched during co-fermentation. This study provides critical insights into the biochemical mechanisms by which LAB co-fermentation enhances flavor characteristics, offering a scientific basis for targeted flavor modulation in fermented foods production.</p>","PeriodicalId":14095,"journal":{"name":"International journal of food microbiology","volume":"442 ","pages":"111378"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-11-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144803982","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Modulating bacterial virulence: The role of food-plant essential oils in counteracting foodborne pathogen threats - A systematic review.","authors":"Juliana Fidelis, Yago Alves de Aguiar Bernardo, Hannay Crystynah Almeida de Souza, Carlos Adam Conte-Junior, Vania Margaret Flosi Paschoalin","doi":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111382","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111382","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pathogenic bacteria significantly threaten human health, mainly through the ingestion of contaminated food. Because of this, alternative strategies to combat this are required to guarantee food safety. In this sense, food-plant essential oils (EOs) displaying antibacterial activities have become promising natural alternatives enhancing food preservation. This review focuses on EOs mechanisms of action, such as inhibiting biofilm formation, disrupting quorum sensing, and generating reactive oxygen species. A search following PRISMA guidelines retrieved 538 articles, with 12 relevant studies selected after applying the inclusion criteria. Essential oils derived from cinnamon, citrus, rosemary, and clove display significant antibacterial and anti-biofilm activities, highlighting their potential for application in food matrices. Food-plant essential oils were shown to be very effective in controlling foodborne pathogen proliferation in chicken and poultry meats, as Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella Heidelberg, bringing promising employment as natural preservative substances in animal-derived food matrices. These natural compounds can overcome antibiotic resistance, as they interfere with QS, exhibit antibiofilm activity, and induce oxidative stress. However, their application in foods requires careful consideration, as improper use may pose risks, including toxicity, allergenic reactions, and the development of bacterial resistance. To maximize the efficacy of EOs while mitigating resistance concerns, future research should focus on validating their effects in food systems, prioritizing in vivo studies, and exploring the use of antibacterial nanoemulsions for improved stability and performance in food applications. Co-toxicity assessments should also be conducted to evaluate potential hazardous effects of EOs in food contexts.</p>","PeriodicalId":14095,"journal":{"name":"International journal of food microbiology","volume":"442 ","pages":"111382"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-11-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144816566","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mechanistic insights into co-culture inhibition of pellicle formation in fermented chili peppers by Pediococcus ethanolidurans M1117.","authors":"Yumeng Li, Yue Xiao, Yanping Wu, Kai Zhong, Yina Huang, Baiyi Lu, Hong Gao","doi":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111377","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111377","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pellicle formation in pickles is detrimental, yet current inhibition methods are limited, necessitating the exploration of novel strategies and underlying mechanisms. This study identified Pichia kudriavzevii M420 as the primary microorganism responsible for pellicle formation in fermented chili peppers, which significantly reduced the levels of organic acids, free amino acids, and aroma compounds. Consequently, this altered the sensory profile of pickles by diminishing sourness and sweetness, increasing bitterness, and introducing a wine-like flavor along with other undesirable odors, thereby compromising overall quality. Co-culturing with Pediococcus ethanolidurans M1117 effectively inhibited pellicle formation through microbial interactions with P. kudriavzevii M420. Transcriptome analysis revealed substantial downregulation of genes in P. kudriavzevii M420, particularly those involved in energy metabolism, genetic information processing, and cellular functions. Notably, inhibition of protein synthesis was identified as a crucial mechanism in preventing pellicle formation. These findings provide deep insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying pellicle formation and highlight the potential of P. ethanolidurans M1117 as an innovative biocontrol strategy to enhance the quality and safety of fermented chili peppers.</p>","PeriodicalId":14095,"journal":{"name":"International journal of food microbiology","volume":"442 ","pages":"111377"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-11-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144799043","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Combined efficacy of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens CIM95 and melatonin in reducing anthracnose in strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) by enhancing antioxidant activity and defense-related genes.","authors":"Anam Moosa, Arwa Abdulkreem Al-Huqail, Dikhnah Alshehri, Suliman Mohammed Suliman Alghanem, Faisal Zulfiqar, Gamal Awad El-Shaboury, Fahad Al-Asmari, Nurah M Alzamel, Layla A Alahmari, Tolga İzgü","doi":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111379","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111379","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum acutatum causes substantial losses in yield and fruit quality. This study aimed to investigate the combined effect of Bacillus-derived lipopeptides (LPs) and melatonin (MLT) on the suppression of anthracnose in strawberries. Compared with the control, ten different Bacillus species were screened for their antifungal activity in vitro, with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens CIM95 resulting in the greatest colony growth inhibition of C. acutatum, followed by B. subtilis LLCG89. LPs were extracted from the two strains, CIM95 and LLCG89, where CIM95 resulted in greater colony growth inhibition of the pathogen. Liquid chromatography time of flight mass spectrometry (LC-TOF/MS) analysis of CIM95 revealed the presence of eight different LPs; surfactin, bacillibactin, bacillaene, fengycin, bacillomycin D, bacilysin, iturin, and plantazolicin. The application of MLT on strawberry fruit at different concentrations revealed that the 5 mM concentration resulted in the lowest lesion diameter and disease incidence of anthracnose in strawberry fruit. Our findings revealed that, compared with individual application or no treatment, combined treatment with CIM95 LPs and MLT reduced the disease incidence and lesion diameter of the pathogen on strawberry fruit. Furthermore, CIM95 LPs and MLT presented the greatest increase in the levels of key antioxidant enzymes, viz., SOD, POD, CAT, PPO, PAL, APX, CHI, and GLU. Additionally, the expression of PR1, PR5, PPO, GLU APX, CAT, PAL, NPR1, GST, and CH-1 was up upregulated till 48 h and subsequently decreased to 96 h. These results suggest that the combination of CIM95 LPs and MLT represents a sustainable and eco-friendly approach for managing anthracnose in strawberries.</p>","PeriodicalId":14095,"journal":{"name":"International journal of food microbiology","volume":"442 ","pages":"111379"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-11-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144812042","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Corrigendum to \"Synergistic antifungal effects of the preservative ammonium propionate and medium chain fatty acids against dormant and germinating conidia, germ tubes and hyphae of Aspergillus chevalieri, a feed spoilage fungus\" [J. Food Microbiol., Vol 422, 2024, 110802].","authors":"J Dijksterhuis, P Kleinhoven, S van Kuijk, A H G Wolters, P G Bruinenberg","doi":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111476","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111476","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":14095,"journal":{"name":"International journal of food microbiology","volume":" ","pages":"111476"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145250949","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Antifungal effect of a natural coating of carnauba wax–aloe vera emulsion with essential oils: A strategy to control gray mold and extend tomato shelf life","authors":"José Ernesto Félix-Beltrán ,&nbsp;Lidia Elena Ayón-Reyna ,&nbsp;Martha Edith López-López ,&nbsp;Jordi Gerardo López-Velázquez ,&nbsp;Francisco R. Quiroz-Figueroa ,&nbsp;Denisse Aurora Diaz-Corona ,&nbsp;Misael Odín Vega-García","doi":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111478","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111478","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Tomato (<em>Solanum lycopersicum</em> L.) is a major global crop valued for its nutritional and commercial importance but is highly susceptible to postharvest fungal infections, particularly gray mold caused by <em>Botrytis cinerea</em>. This disease compromises fruit quality, reduces shelf life, and generates significant economic losses. This study evaluated natural coatings based on a carnauba wax–<em>Aloe vera</em> emulsion supplemented with cassia and/or Mexican lime essential oils (EOs) for their effects on gray mold development and tomato postharvest quality. Thiabendazole (TBZ) and the commercial coating Aloecoat® were used as controls. <em>In vitro</em> analyses showed that EOs inhibited 100 % the growth of <em>B. cinerea</em>, demonstrating a synergistic effect when combined, which reduced by eightfold the concentration needed to inhibit mycelial growth and spore germination. Confocal fluorescence microscopy showed that the antifungal effect of the treatments is associated with the cell membrane. <em>In vivo</em> assays revealed that EO emulsions significantly outperformed TBZ and Aloecoat®, reducing gray mold incidence to 8.3 % compared with 33.3 % and 100 %, respectively (<em>P</em> ≤ 0.05). They also decreased disease severity (1.16 % to 7.5 %). EOs reduced weight loss (5.88 %–6.82 %) relative to TBZ (6.36 %) and Aloecoat® (10.91 %), maintained higher firmness (21.91–24.36 N) compared to TBZ (10.51 N) and Aloecoat® (9.36 N), and exhibited higher total soluble solids (4.06–4.16°Brix) and brightness (up to 40.78), clearly outperforming the control treatments (<em>P</em> ≤ 0.05). These findings highlight essential oil–based emulsions as effective natural alternatives to synthetic and commercial coatings, offering improved quality preservation, extended shelf life, and gray mold control, with reduced environmental impact.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14095,"journal":{"name":"International journal of food microbiology","volume":"445 ","pages":"Article 111478"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145258210","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterisation of microbial succession and exploration of the stability maintenance strategy of phage community on microbes in radish paocai","authors":"Menglu Yang ,&nbsp;Yuli Huang ,&nbsp;Jiaqi Liu ,&nbsp;Guangqiang Wang ,&nbsp;Yuan Mei ,&nbsp;Lihong Ge ,&nbsp;Qing Du ,&nbsp;Huajia Li ,&nbsp;Nan Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111479","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111479","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Previous research focused on the safety control of phages in food. In recent years, numerous phages have been extensively characterised in fermented foods, where they change along with fermentation process but do not compromise product quality. However, the potential roles of phages in fermented foods remain unclear. Microbial steady state is critical for maintaining normal radish paocai fermentation. To explore stability maintenance strategies for phages, their structure and interactions with microbes were investigated across two microbial structural systems during fermentation. Microbial counts showed the absence of fungi in the non-steady-state environment (NE), whereas high fungal levels (6.78 ± 0.09 log colony-forming units/mL) were detected in the steady-state environment (SE). Metagenomic analysis revealed that microbial structure remained stable in SE but changed markedly in NE. <em>Pediococcus ethanolidurans</em> and <em>Lactococcus lactis</em> were the species that differed significantly between SE and NE. Microbial succession exhibited a significant association with physicochemical environments in NE (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), whereas microbial abundance fluctuations were unaffected by physicochemical stress in SE. Caudoviricetes was identified as the dominant viral class. Cluster analysis showed that NE systems displayed high variability with dramatic shifts across multiple viral genera (Clusters 3–6). In NE, 25 lytic and 226 lysogenic phages were identified, while 3 lytic and 29 lysogenic phages were found in SE. Phage host prediction indicated preferential targeting of harmful bacteria (e.g., <em>Escherichia</em>) in NE, contrasted with phage predation on fermentation-associated lactic acid bacteria in SE. Genomic analysis indicated that <em>Lactiplantibacillus</em> abundance and its corresponding phages remained stable in SE but increased sharply in NE on day 3. <em>Lactiplantibacillus</em> phages isolated from NE and SE displayed strict host specificity at the strain level and exhibited potent lytic activity across different fermented food matrices. This study advances our understanding of steady-state maintenance mechanisms in vegetable fermentation systems and offers new insight for cross-system phage applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14095,"journal":{"name":"International journal of food microbiology","volume":"444 ","pages":"Article 111479"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145250913","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A novel phage lysin Lys19 can serve as potential biocontrol agent against Clostridium perfringens and Streptococcus suis","authors":"Yalu Ji ,&nbsp;Yuqing Zhou ,&nbsp;Yao Fu ,&nbsp;Changjiang Sun ,&nbsp;Wenyu Han ,&nbsp;Xin Feng ,&nbsp;Jingmin Gu","doi":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111475","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111475","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Food contamination with <em>Clostridium perfringens</em> (<em>C. perfringens</em>) and <em>Streptococcus suis</em> (<em>S. suis</em>) may lead to severe foodborne illnesses in humans, and new effective strategies are needed to limit foodborne microbial contamination. In this study, a novel <em>C. perfringens</em> phage, XBG01, was isolated, and its lysin, Lys19, was characterized. Lys19 consists of an N-terminal <em>N</em>-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase catalytic domain and a C-terminal binding domain comprising two 35-residue repeats. H13, E26, H81, R124, and E146 were identified as key sites for maintaining the activity of the catalytic domain. The activity of the catalytic domain is independent of the presence of metal ions and is not affected by the binding domain. Notably, in addition to type A <em>C. perfringens</em>, Lys19 can also efficiently lyse 2, 3, 7, 9 and 12 serotypes of <em>S. suis</em>. This is the first reported <em>C. perfringens</em> phage lysin with a cross-bacterial species lytic function. It maintains stable activity in the temperature range of 4–55 °C and pH range of 3–9, and can effectively prevent and eliminate strong biofilms formed by <em>C. perfringens</em>. The bacterial viability on lettuce was significantly lower in the group treated with lysin Lys19 than in the PBS group, and 88.75 % of <em>C. perfringens</em> were killed within 15 min. In addition, Lys19 treatment significantly reduced the bacterial load in raw pork by about 84.65 % at a temperature of 4 °C within 12 h. These results indicate that Lys19 has potential applications in controlling <em>C. perfringens</em> and <em>S. suis</em> in lettuce and meat.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14095,"journal":{"name":"International journal of food microbiology","volume":"445 ","pages":"Article 111475"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145258224","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparative study of the individual and sequential effect of aqueous ozone and UV-C light on the mycotoxigenic fungus Aspergillus carbonarius: In vitro assays and incidence in grapes","authors":"Angela Rocío Romero Bernal ,&nbsp;Silvia Mónica Raffellini ,&nbsp;Zhiming Guo ,&nbsp;Stella Maris Alzamora ,&nbsp;Paula Luisina Gómez","doi":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111474","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111474","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This work comparatively analyses the performance of aqueous ozone (0.5–12 min; 0.3–47.6 mg O₃ min L⁻¹) and UV-C light (1–30 min; 1.0–30.3 kJm⁻²), used individually and in sequence, on the inactivation, physiology, morphology and structure of <em>A. carbonarius</em> conidia in suspension. The impact of treatments on the mould growth in artificially contaminated Red Globe grapes during storage at 20 ± 1 °C was also evaluated. Individual ozone and UV-C light treatments led to a complete loss of viability of low load <em>A. carbonarius</em> conidial suspension (10³ conidia ml⁻¹), while the maximum inactivation levels achieved for the suspensions of 10⁵ conidia ml⁻¹ were 2.0 and 3.7 log cycles after ozonisation with 47.6 mg O₃ min L⁻¹ and irradiation with 15.2 kJ m⁻² of UV-C light, respectively. The inactivation curves were adequately fitted with a Weibullian model. The application of ozone and UV-C light in sequence (10 min-39.4 mg O₃ min L⁻¹ followed by 4.0–30.3 kJm⁻²) did not result in higher inactivation reductions (~ 3.5 log of maximum reduction) than those obtained with the individual UV-C light treatments. Flow cytometry and microscopy studies revealed ozone and UV-C light dose-dependent variations in physiological state, morphology and ultrastructure of conidia, which the most pronounced effect at high stressor dose assayed and after sequential treatments. In grapes, UV-C light was more effective than aqueous ozone in reducing the mould incidence in storage (40 and 15 % lower infection compared to the control at 20 day-storage, respectively). Unlike plate-counting assays, selected sequential treatments (34.5 mg O₃ min L⁻¹, 10 min) - UV-C light (30.3 kJ m⁻², 30 min) resulted in significant lower incidence (70 % lower than non-treated grapes at 20 day-storage). These results highlight the importance of analysing the antifungal effectiveness of treatments in specific fruit matrices, given that the matrix characteristics influence the microbiological response.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14095,"journal":{"name":"International journal of food microbiology","volume":"445 ","pages":"Article 111474"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145270453","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biocontrol potential and mechanism of volatile organic compounds released by Bacillus velezensis GX0003742 against post-harvest banana anthracnose","authors":"Xiaoying Xie,&nbsp;Kexiu Lin,&nbsp;Qi Gao,&nbsp;Mingguo Jiang,&nbsp;Yan Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111472","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2025.111472","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Banana anthracnose, caused by <em>Colletotrichum musae</em>, is one of the most severe fungal diseases affecting banana production and has led to significant economic losses in the banana industry. In this study, <em>Bacillus velezensis</em> strain GX0003742 was found to release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with strong antifungal activity, achieving up to 80 % control efficacy against post-harvest banana anthracnose. A total of multiple VOCs was identified via GC–MS analysis, among which ten exhibited inhibitory effects on <em>C. musae</em>. Notably, 2-nonanol and citronellol showed inhibition rates exceeding 50 %, with IC₅₀ values of 11.45 μL/L and 14.89 μL/L, and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 2.70 μL/L and 3.95 μL/L, respectively. Fluorescence staining revealed that both compounds significantly disrupted fungal cell wall integrity, altered membrane permeability, and induced abnormal accumulation of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS), ultimately leading to programmed cell death of the hyphae. Molecular docking analysis showed that both VOCs could bind to chitin synthase and potentially interfere with its function. In addition, 2-nonanol and citronellol effectively maintained banana fruit quality and triggered the accumulation of defense- and antioxidant-related enzymes, thereby activating defense responses and enhancing host resistance against pathogens. Overall, this study is the first to identify 2-nonanol and citronellol from <em>B. velezensis</em> GX0003742 and to elucidate their dual roles in direct antifungal activity and the induction of host resistance. These findings provide new theoretical insights and biological strategies for the eco-friendly management of banana anthracnose.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":14095,"journal":{"name":"International journal of food microbiology","volume":"445 ","pages":"Article 111472"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145236624","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}