PHENOTYPIC TRAITS OF WOUND COMPETENCE OF POSTHARVEST BIOCONTROL YEASTS AND POTENTIAL OF THESE MICROORGANISMS FOR PREVENTION/ DETOXIFICATION OF MYCOTOXIN ACCUMULATION

Knowledge of the mechanisms of action of biocontrol agents (BCAs) is crucial to identify underlying pivotal traits, whose enhancement could boost antagonist activity and encourage the use of BCAs as alternative/integration of fungicides. We had previously shown that resistance of postharvest BCAs to oxidative stress is a possible key mechanism for their wound competence to successfully outcompete wound pathogens in stored apples. In this work we describe recent studies aimed at elucidating the phenotypic traits underlying wound competence of postharvest biocontrol yeasts. Further, we show that some BCAs display a potential activity in addressing other major issues of food safety: contamination of apple-based food products with Patulin and of wine with Ochratoxin A, mycotoxins produced by the fungal pathogens of apples and grape Penicillium expansum and Aspergillus carbonarius, respectively.