Microbial detoxification of mycotoxins in food

Nadine Abraham; Edicon Tze Shun Chan; Ting Zhou; Stephen Y K Seah

doi:10.3389/fmicb.2022.957148

Microbial detoxification of mycotoxins in food

Front Microbiol. 2022 Nov 23:13:957148. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.957148. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Nadine Abraham^{1

2}, Edicon Tze Shun Chan², Ting Zhou², Stephen Y K Seah¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
² Guelph Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Guelph, ON, Canada.

Abstract

Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by certain genera of fungi including but not limited to Fusarium, Aspergillus, and Penicillium. Their persistence in agricultural commodities poses a significant food safety issue owing to their carcinogenic, teratogenic, and immunosuppressive effects. Due to their inherent stability, mycotoxin levels in contaminated food often exceed the prescribed regulatory thresholds posing a risk to both humans and livestock. Although physical and chemical methods have been applied to remove mycotoxins, these approaches may reduce the nutrient quality and organoleptic properties of food. Microbial transformation of mycotoxins is a promising alternative for mycotoxin detoxification as it is more specific and environmentally friendly compared to physical/chemical methods. Here we review the biological detoxification of the major mycotoxins with a focus on microbial enzymes.

Keywords: Mycotoxins; T2; aflatoxins; citrinin; deoxynivalenol; ochratoxin; patulin; zearaleneone.

Publication types

Review