EVALUATION OF THE EFFICIENCY OF CHITOSAN PRODUCED FROM THE STALKS OF AGARICUS BISPORUS BROWN AS AN ANTIFUNGAL AGAINST ASPERGILLUS FLAVUS AND REDUCING AFLATOXIN B1

The aim of this study was to benefit from the remnants of edible mushrooms production farms in the production of bioactive compounds such as chitosan and characterization it, and then evaluating the efficiency of chitosan in inhibiting growth of Aspergillus flavus (A. flavus) and preventing it from producing aflatoxin B1 toxins. The prepared chitosan diagnosed via Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR). Chitosan have been tested in inhibiting A. flavus in the concentrations 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2%. The chitosan inhibition rate of the fungus A. flavus has reached 16, 36, 53 and 100% respectively. The effectiveness of chitosan tested in preventing A. flavus from producing Aflatoxin (AFB1) in the concentrations 0.5, 1 and 1.5 %. The rate of Aflatoxin B1 production inhibition by chitosan has reached 72.7، 86.7 and 100% respectively after 21 days of incubation at 25°C after estimating Aflatoxin B1 via High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).