Microbiome Status of Cider-Apples, from Orchard to Processing, with a Special Focus on Penicillium expansum Occurrence and Patulin Contamination

Patulin is a secondary metabolite produced primarily by the fungus Penicillium expansum, responsible for blue mold disease on apples. It found in apple products including cider when juice added after fermentation. In present study, two hundred and twenty-five cider-apples of variety “Bedan”, cultivated Brittany France, were sampled from orchard during harvesting until storage step, right before processing. The patulin analysis these samples reported low contamination at significantly higher-level starting transporting bin. percentage positive increased 6% to 47% 12 h bin reached 95% 24 transporting, decreasing then 69% end storage. expansum was quantified surface apples using real-time PCR observed be mostly consistent between harvest post-harvest steps. detected average, 85% all with mean value around 2.35 × 106Penicillium DNA/g apple. Moreover, changes fungal bacterial epiphytic microbiota different steps studied metabarcoding approach. alpha beta diversity revealed presence unique more diverse communities picked compared rest sampling Potential indigenous biological control agents identified Future perspective includes developing actions prevention along various critical stages transformation sustainable development concern.