| dc.description.abstract | Due to the continuous increase in global population, there is a demand for innovative and sustainable technology to improve food and nutritional security. Contamination, spoilage, and safety issues are caused by pathogenic microbes including bacteria, yeast, and mold. Aspergillus flavus is an opportunistic fungus that colonizes various field crops including legumes, cereal grains, tree nuts, and oilseeds. Infection by this fungus can occur pre-harvest or during post-harvest operations and storage of cottonseed and cottonseed meal. In addition to infecting of the cottonseed there is the subsequent production of mycotoxins which are toxic secondary metabolites, such as aflatoxins. Under ideal environmental conditions, warm temperatures and high humidity, A. flavus can produce large amounts of aflatoxins. Aflatoxins are not typically destroyed by the post-harvest processes of contaminated cottonseed. Different methods have been used to remove aflatoxins from cottonseed meal, including biological controls, electromagnetic radiation, ozone fumigation, chemical control agents, and thermal treatments. However, many of these treatments negatively affect the nutritional content, flavor, color, texture. There is a need for alternative removal methods agricultural to better preserve quality and nutritional content of cottonseed meal.
Through this work we were able to identify physical properties of fuzzy cottonseed inoculated with Aspergillus flavus and understand the effects of microbial load and moisture content. This can lead to future sort measures for cottonseed during the post-harvest process. The results showed that sorting cottonseed based on physical appearance, dimensions, projected area, surface area, and density can help identify potentially infected seeds. This work also measured the increase in aflatoxin levels throughout the post-harvest process of whole seed to cottonseed meal. The results showed that the difference in acid-delinting and the use of the mechanical dehuller can affect the microbial load on cottonseed meal. The higher microbial load was associated with lower protein content and higher fat acidity levels. Lastly, the research identifies treatment parameters to maintain nutritional components of cottonseed meal. The use of Atmospheric Cold Plasma (ACP) to treat Aspergillus flavus infected cottonseed meal which maintained the cottonseed fat acidity levels, protein levels, and water activity levels. Overall, this research can be used in the post-harvest process for sorting, measuring aflatoxin levels, and possible treatment using ACP. | en |
