Current and promising strategies to prevent and reduce aflatoxin contamination in grains and food matrices
- 14 September 2021
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Brill in World Mycotoxin Journal
- Vol. 14 (3), 293-304
- https://doi.org/10.3920/wmj2020.2559
Abstract
Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by filamentous fungi that colonise various crops around the world and cause major damage to the agro-industrial sector on a global scale. Considering the estimative of population growth in the next decades, it is of fundamental importance the implementation of practices that help prevent the economics and social impacts of aflatoxin contamination. Even though various approaches have been developed – including physical, chemical and biological approaches – there is not yet one that strikes a balance in terms of safety, food quality and cost, especially when considering large scale application. In this review, we present a compilation of advantages and disadvantages of different strategies for prevention and reduction of aflatoxin contamination. Biological approaches represent the trend in innovations mainly due to their specificity and versatility, since it is possible to consider the utilisation of whole microorganisms, culture supernatants, purified enzymes or even genetic engineering. However, challenges related to improvement of the efficiency of such methods and ensuring safety of treated foods still need to be overcome.Keywords
This publication has 104 references indexed in Scilit:
- Mycotoxins: Occurrence, toxicology, and exposure assessmentFood and Chemical Toxicology, 2013
- Elimination of aflatoxin B1 in peanuts by acidic electrolyzed oxidizing waterFood Control, 2012
- Impact of mycotoxins on humans and animalsJournal of Saudi Chemical Society, 2011
- Identification and characterization of two families of F420H2‐dependent reductases from Mycobacteria that catalyse aflatoxin degradationMolecular Microbiology, 2010
- Aflatoxin B1 Degradation by Stenotrophomonas Maltophilia and Other Microbes Selected Using Coumarin MediumInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2008
- Potential of near infrared spectroscopy for the analysis of mycotoxins applied to naturally contaminated red paprika found in the Spanish marketAnalytica Chimica Acta, 2008
- Degradation of aflatoxin B1 by cell-free extracts of Rhodococcus erythropolis and Mycobacterium fluoranthenivorans sp. nov. DSM44556TInternational Journal of Food Microbiology, 2005
- Efficacy and permanency of ammonia treatment in reducing aflatoxin levels in cornFood Additives & Contaminants, 1994
- Role of lactone ring of aflatoxin B1 in toxicity and mutagenicityCellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 1981
- Experimental Detoxification of Groundnut Meals containing AflatoxinNature, 1966