Different mycotoxin inactivation applications and their inactivation mechanisms

Abstract

Control of mycotoxins is the need of the hour, since their occurrence in foods and feeds is continuously posing threats to both health and economics all over the world. Besides the post-harvest preventive measures, it is important that suitable detoxification methods must be developed for inactivating or removing mycotoxins from the contaminated commodities, as the toxins are also produced by Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus even during pre-harvest stages of crop production. Several physical and chemical detoxification methods developed so far have been critically discussed in different reviews for their advantages and limitations based on certain adopted strategies and specific criteria. Understanding of mechanisms of mycotoxins detoxification by physical, chemical and microbiological methods will enable establishment of combined treatment procedures to effectively decontaminate, contaminated foods and feeds. Such treatment methods are expected to be cost effective and minimally deleterious to food constituents.