The low pH of SGM (pH 3.5) did not allow bacterial composites to
grow and inhibit A. carbonarius, therefore this part of the study was
focused on yeast composites. Factors such as the type of yeast composite,
aw, and combination of initial inocula of yeasts and fungi affected
significantly OTA reduction (pb0.05). Fungal growth was suppressed
at the following order of relative inoculation levels of yeasts and
A. carbonarius: 105 cfu/mL-102 spores/mL (61–93%)N105 cfu/mL-105
spores/mL (49–85%)N102 cfu/mL-105 spores/mL (0–48%), regardless
of the yeast composite (Fig. 1). The highest fungal inhibition was
obtained at aw 0.95, by almost all yeast composites and relative initial
inocula of yeasts and the fungus. Visual observations indicated that
at the lower inoculation levels of yeast composites (102 cfu/mL), individual
yeast colonies occurred (Fig. 2a), whereas at higher inoculation
levels (105 cfu/mL), uncountable colonies formed a continuous layer
on agar surfaces, which resulted in a clear inhibitory zone of fungal
growth