EN
An extent of chilled strawberries contamination with aerobic mesophiles, Escherichia coli bacteria, and microfungi, was investigated. Five microfungi strains were isolated and identified as: Aspergillus niger, Penicillium glaucum, Rhizopus nigricans, Mucor mucedo, and Monilla sitophila. Under described conditions, none of isolated strains was found to produce aflatoxins or patulin. Furthermore, effects of sodium benzoate and sodium sorbate on isolated microfungi, were studied. Sodium sorbate in a concentration exceeding 0.08% was found to inhibit Penicillium glaucum, Mucor mucedo, and Monilia sitophita growth, but not to exert an inhibitory effect on Aspergillus niger and Rhizopus nigricans growth. Sodium benzoate was shown to inhibit all microfungi strains under test.