Abstract
: Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) is a hepatic hydroxylated metabolite of aflatoxin B1 that is found in the milk of lactating animals fed contaminated diets. Efficient and safe strategies for the degradation or detoxification of AFM1 in contaminated milk are rare. Given that probiotic bacteria are known for their ability to bind aflatoxins, the present study aimed to evaluate the potential of lactic acid bacterial strains, including Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus casei, and Lactobacillus paracasei isolated from a cottage cheese named Khiki, for the reduction of AFM1 in PBS and milk. The results showed that all selected strains had a significant AFM1-binding ability. The highest AFM1 reduction was achieved by Lactobacillus paracasei in PBS (71.35%) and in milk (68.53%). The assessment of AFM1 reduction over contact time (1 to 48 hours) with Lactobacillus paracasei and contaminated milk showed a reduction of 67% to 71.2%, with most adsorption occurring within the first 12 hours. Since the studied probiotic strains were able to reduce AFM1 in milk, their use in the dairy industry could be recommended as a safety enhancement approach.