Studying the Inhibitory Effect of Cinnamon and Ginger Aqueous Extracts Against Rice-Associated Fungi that Produce Aflatoxin

Abstract

Abstract The studying included testing the inhibitory activity of the aqueous extracts of cinnamon (Cinnamomum zylanicum) and ginger (Zingibero fficinale) at three concentrations (50, 100 and 200 mgL-1) on the aflatoxin-producing fungi (Aspergillus lavus and Aspergillus parasiticus) isolated from rice used for daily consumption in Iraq as well as the studying of possibility of reducing the aflatoxins after treating the fungal isolates with aqueous extract of medicinal plants. The studying showed the possibility of isolating and diagnosing three genera of fungi using phenotypic and microscopic characteristics based on taxonomic keys. The results showed the presence of three species of Aspergillus (A. flavus, A. parasiticus and A. niger), in addition to the Penicillium spp. and Fusarium spp. at different appearance rates. Also, the results revealed that the aqueous extract of cinnamon and ginger had inhibitory activity against the aflatoxin producing fungi at a concentration of 200 mgL-1 and that the fungal diameter of the inhibition area was 22 mm for both A. flavus and A. parasiticus.