The antifungal activity of ginger essential oil (GEO; Zingiber officinale Roscoe) was evaluated against
Fusarium verticillioides (Saccardo) Nirenberg. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of GEO was
determined by micro-broth dilution. The effects of GEO on fumonisin and ergosterol production were
evaluated at concentrations of 500–5000 lg/mL in liquid medium with a 5 mm diameter mycelial disc
of F. verticillioides. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry showed that the predominant components
of GEO were a-zingiberene (23.9%) and citral (21.7%). GEO exhibited inhibitory activity, with a MIC of
2500 lg/mL, and 4000 and 5000 lg/mL reduced ergosterol biosynthesis by 57% and 100%, respectively.
The inhibitory effect on fumonisin B1 (FB1) and fumonisin B2 (FB2) production was significant at GEO concentrations
of 4000 and 2000 lg/mL, respectively. Thus, the inhibition of fungal biomass and fumonisin
production was dependent on the concentration of GEO. These results suggest that GEO was able to control
the growth of F. verticillioides and subsequent fumonisin production.