Endophytic bacteria antagonists of the micromycete Aspergillus flavus: the prospect of improving the quality of food raw materials and food products

Abstract Aspergillus flavus is a pathogenic and toxigenic microscopic saprophyte fungus widespread in nature, contributes to a decrease in the quality and safety of food raw materials and food products and causes of mycotoxicosis and mycoses. The paper presents the results of a comparative assessment of the antagonistic activity of endophytic bacteria to the A. flavus micromycete. The studied bacterial isolates were characterized by alimentary and antibiotic types of antagonism. The most pronounced antifungal effect was found in EFS10, EFS14 and EFS17 belonging to the species Bacillus subtilis . These bacteria synthesized compounds with a fungistatic effect and effectively competed for a nutrient substrate, showing a high growth rate, the degree of inhibition of the development of the microscopic fungus A. flavus was 68.20, 65.41 and 50.73 %, respectively. Isolates were also characterized by a wide range of enzymatic activity, absence of pathogenic and toxic properties. Thus, the studied bacteria are active antifungal agents and can be used as biological agents to improve the quality of food raw materials and food products.