A note on antimycotic activity of milk

Area of Science:

• Mycology
• Food Science
• Antimicrobial Studies

Background:

• Oomycete and fungal pathogens pose significant threats to food safety and spoilage.
• Milk, a common dietary staple, has potential antimicrobial properties that warrant investigation.
• Understanding the inhibitory effects of milk on fungal growth is crucial for food preservation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the in vitro sporostatic activity of fresh milk from different origins against pathogenic fungi.
• To determine the efficacy of cow and goat milk in inhibiting the spore germination of specific oomycete and fungal species.

Main Methods:

• In vitro testing of fresh milk samples from four origins.
• Exposure of five oomycete and fungal pathogens to milk samples.
• Quantification of inhibition in spore germination percentage.

Main Results:

• Cow milk demonstrated maximum sporostatic activity against Aspergillus niger (82.31%), Candida albicans (78.95%), Aspergillus flavus (76.00%), Penicillium nigricans (64.40%), and Absidia corymbifera (63.53%).
• Goat milk exhibited significant inhibition against Absidia corymibifera (87.06%).
• Varied inhibitory effects were observed for other milk samples and fungal species combinations.

Conclusions:

• Fresh cow and goat milk possess notable in vitro sporostatic properties against tested oomycete and fungal pathogens.
• Milk's composition can be leveraged for potential applications in controlling fungal contamination.
• Further research into milk's antimicrobial mechanisms and applications in food preservation is recommended.