Consumption of milk and its derivatives is an important food habit in the diet of all age groups. However, there has been increasing concern about physical, biological (pathogenic or spoilage microorganisms) and chemical (metals, pesticides and mycotoxins) contaminants in milk and dairy products. Considering the high levels of consumption, it is important that milk and dairy products are free from toxic compounds. Microbial degradation as a strategy for chemical decontamination is an emerging biotechnological approach that is considered a safe and inexpensive practice. The decontaminant activity of probiotic microorganisms is associated with fermentation, antibiosis and the ability of the microbial cell wall to bind to the contaminant. Exploiting the potential of microorganisms for chemical decontamination will further leverage its application in the food industry.
Keywords: Lactic acid bacteria; aflatoxin; decontamination; pesticides; toxic metal.