Search Results (10)

The rapid growth of the world’s population is generating escalating demands for food production. Global food demand is expected to increase by 35% to 56% between 2010 and 2050. Therefore, food mass production is becoming more challenging. The chemicalization of food production, processing, transport, packaging, and storage is almost impossible to avoid. These factors, along with environmental pollution, contribute to the increase in food product contamination. Xenobiotics appearing in food, including a variety of toxic substances (heavy metals, acrylamide, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), and pathogens (pathogenic bacteria, fungi, molds, and yeast-producing mycotoxins) can threaten consumers’ safety and have negative economic implications. In this regard, the introduction of effective detoxification methods appears to be very important. It can be accomplished by physical, chemical, and biological means. Many reports have proved that probiotics are useful in food biodetoxification. Probiotics effectively reduce food contamination (at various stages of food production) and, moreover, annihilate toxins present in the human body. Many in vitro studies have confirmed the biodetoxification properties of probiotics, demonstrating that they diminish the toxic effects of the main types of food contaminants (heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pesticides, mycotoxins, nitrates and nitrites, acrylamide, alkylphenols, biogenic amines, and dioxins). Probiotics produce various bioactive compounds, including antimutagenic, antioxidant, and anti-carcinogenic compounds. Their protective and beneficial influence on human microbiota can modulate host inflammatory processes, inhibit carcinogenesis, and modify immune resistance. Detoxification with probiotics is environment-friendly and, unlike physical and chemical methods, does not adversely affect the nutritional value and quality of food. In addition, probiotics in food are associated with well-known human health benefits; therefore, as a functional food, they have gained common consumer acceptance. The large-scale application of biodetoxification methods in both agriculture and the food industry is a challenge for the future. Based on contemporary research, this review provides the mechanism of probiotic biodetoxification, possible applications of various probiotics, and future trends. Full article

Mycotoxins, toxic compounds produced by fungi, pose significant risks to food safety and human health. This study investigates the bio-detoxification potential of 238 strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and Bacillus spp., previously isolated from cereals (including mycotoxin-contaminated grains), against the emerging mycotoxin, enniatin B (ENB), and the prevalent mycotoxin, deoxynivalenol (DON). Out of the tested strains, 26 demonstrated notable mycotoxin reduction capabilities, including 2 Bacillus pumilus and 24 Bacillus licheniformis strains. B. licheniformis strains MA572, MA695, MA696, TR174a, TR284, TR363, and TR466a degraded ENB to levels below the detection limit, and six strains reduced DON by 30–35%; B. licheniformis TR251b and TR374 showed the highest DON reduction with 35.7%. The most promising strains for bio-detoxification were B. licheniformis TR284, which achieved a 100% reduction in ENB and a 28.6% reduction in DON and B. licheniformis TR388 with a 97.5% reduction in ENB and a 31.9% reduction in DON. None of the tested LAB strains significantly reduced either mycotoxin. These findings highlight the promising potential of B. licheniformis strains in bio-detoxifying mycotoxin-contaminated cereal products. Further research into the underlying detoxification mechanisms and safety aspects is essential to develop effective bio-detoxification strategies for enhancing food safety. Full article

Mycotoxins present in cereals are a worldwide problem and are a result of the presence of mycotoxin producing fungi. A strategy to reduce these fungi and mycotoxin levels in contaminated grains is with the use of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) or Bacillus spp., which can degrade or bind toxins. In this study, LAB and Bacillus spp. were isolated from mycotoxin contaminated wheat grains and, together with additional plant-derived strains, an antifungal screening against Fusarium graminearum was performed. Furthermore, these strains were screened for their ability to reduce zearalenone (ZEA) and deoxynivalenol (DON). Finally, the mode of action of the most promising microorganisms was investigated by analyzing toxin reduction with viable and dead cells, cell extracts and supernatants. Out of 212 tested strains, 70 showed high antifungal activity and 42 exhibited the ability to detoxify more than 90% ZEA, i.e., Bacillus licheniformis (19), B. megaterium (13), and Levilactobacillus brevis (10). None of the tested strains were able to decrease DON. The mode of action of ZEA reduction could not be fully elucidated. Neither dead cells (<20%), nor cell extracts nor supernatants could reduce ZEA in high amounts, which exclude high binding capacity and the involvement of extra- or intra-cellular enzymes. Full article

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is considered one of the main mycotoxins responsible for health problems and considerable economic losses in the feed industry. The aim was to study OTA’s detoxifying potential of commercial protease enzymes: (i) Ananas comosus bromelain cysteine-protease, (ii) bovine trypsin serine-protease and (iii) Bacillus subtilis neutral metalloendopeptidase. In silico studies were performed with reference ligands and T-2 toxin as control, and in vitro experiments. In silico study results showed that tested toxins interacted near the catalytic triad, similar to how the reference ligands behave in all tested proteases. Likewise, based on the proximity of the amino acids in the most stable poses, the chemical reaction mechanisms for the transformation of OTA were proposed. In vitro experiments showed that while bromelain reduced OTA’s concentration in 7.64% at pH 4.6; trypsin at 10.69% and the neutral metalloendopeptidase in 8.2%, 14.44%, 45.26% at pH 4.6, 5 and 7, respectively (p < 0.05). The less harmful α-ochratoxin was confirmed with trypsin and the metalloendopeptidase. This study is the first attempt to demonstrate that: (i) bromelain and trypsin can hydrolyse OTA in acidic pH conditions with low efficiency and (ii) the metalloendopeptidase was an effective OTA bio-detoxifier. This study confirmed α-ochratoxin as a final product of the enzymatic reactions in real-time practical information on OTA degradation rate, since in vitro experiments simulated the time that food spends in poultry intestines, as well as their natural pH and temperature conditions. Full article

Probiotic consumption is recognized as being generally safe and correlates with multiple and valuable health benefits. However, the mechanism by which it helps detoxify the body and its anti-carcinogenic and antimutagenic potential is less discussed. A widely known fact is that globalization and mass food production/cultivation make it impossible to keep all possible risks under control. Scientists associate the multitude of diseases in the days when we live with these risks that threaten the population’s safety in terms of food. This review aims to explore whether the use of probiotics may be a safe, economically viable, and versatile tool in biodetoxification despite the numerous risks associated with food and the limited possibility to evaluate the contaminants. Based on scientific data, this paper focuses on the aspects mentioned above and demonstrates the probiotics’ possible risks, as well as their anti-carcinogenic and antimutagenic potential. After reviewing the probiotic capacity to react with pathogens, fungi infection, mycotoxins, acrylamide toxicity, benzopyrene, and heavy metals, we can conclude that the specific probiotic strain and probiotic combinations bring significant health outcomes. Furthermore, the biodetoxification maximization process can be performed using probiotic-bioactive compound association. Full article

Fungal growth and consequent mycotoxin release in food and feed threatens human health, which might even, in acute cases, lead to death. Control and prevention of foodborne poisoning is a major task of public health that will be faced in the 21st century. Nowadays, consumers increasingly demand healthier and more natural food with minimal use of chemical preservatives, whose negative effects on human health are well known. Biopreservation is among the safest and most reliable methods for inhibiting fungi in food. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are of great interest as biological additives in food owing to their Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) classification and probiotic properties. LAB produce bioactive compounds such as reuterin, cyclic peptides, fatty acids, etc., with antifungal properties. This review highlights the great potential of LAB as biopreservatives by summarizing various reported antifungal activities/metabolites of LAB against fungal growth into foods. In the end, it provides profound insight into the possibilities and different factors to be considered in the application of LAB in different foods as well as enhancing their efficiency in biodetoxification and biopreservative activities. Full article

Fungal mycotoxins are secondary metabolites that can be present in green forage, hay, or silage. Consumption of contaminated plants or agricultural products can cause various animal and human diseases, which is why problems associated with mycotoxins have received particular attention. In addition, public pressure to produce healthy food and feed is also increasing. As the results of several surveys indicate that yeasts can decrease toxic effects by binding or converting secondary metabolites or control growth of harmful fungi, this article provides an overview of the yeast species that can have great potential in detoxification. The most important antagonistic yeast species against toxigenic fungi are described and the mode of their inhibitory mechanisms is also discussed. We provide an insight into toxin binding and biotransformation capacities of yeasts and examples of their use in silo. Issues requiring further study are also mentioned. Full article

Seeking useful biological agents for mycotoxin detoxification has achieved success in the last twenty years thanks to the participation of many multidisciplinary teams. We have recently witnessed discoveries in the fields of bacterial genetics (inclusive of next-generation sequencing), protein encoding, and bioinformatics that have helped to shape the latest perception of how microorganisms/mycotoxins/environmental factors intertwine and interact, so the road is opened for new breakthroughs. Analysis of literature data related to the biological control of mycotoxins indicates the ability of yeast, bacteria, fungi and enzymes to degrade or adsorb mycotoxins, which increases the safety and quality of susceptible crops, animal feed and, ultimately, food of animal origin (milk, meat and eggs) by preventing the presence of residues. Microbial detoxification (transformation and adsorption) is becoming a trustworthy strategy that leaves no or less toxic compounds and contributes to food security. This review summarizes the data and highlights the importance and prospects of these methods. Full article

Research on the ability of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to bind aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) has mostly been focusing on lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. In this study, the AFB1 binding capacities of 20 Enterococcus strains belonging to E. casseliflavus, E. faecalis, E. faecium, E. hirae, E. lactis, and E. mundtii, 24 Pediococcus strains belonging to species P. acidilactici, P. lolii, P. pentosaceus, and P. stilesii, one strain of Lactococcus formosensis and L.garviae, and 3 strains of Weissella soli were investigated in MRS broth at 37 °C at 0.2 µg/mL mycotoxin concentration. According to our results, among non-lactobacilli LAB, the genera with the best AFB1 binding abilities were genus Pediococcus, with a maximum binding percentage of 7.6% by P. acidilactici OR83, followed by genus Lactococcus. For AFB1 bio-detoxification purposes, beside lactobacilli, pediococci can also be chosen, but it is important to select a strain with better binding properties than the average value of its genus. Five Pediococcus strains have been selected to compare their sterigmatocystin (ST) binding abilities to AFB1 binding, and a 2–3-fold difference was obtained similar to previous findings for lactobacilli. The best strain was P. acidilactici OR83 with 18% ST binding capacity. This is the first report on ST binding capabilities of non-Lactobacillus LAB strains. Full article

Due to global climate change, mould strains causing problems with their mycotoxin production in the tropical–subtropical climate zone have also appeared in countries belonging to the temperate zone. Biodetoxification of crops and raw materials for food and feed industries including the aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) binding abilities of lactobacilli is of growing interest. Despite the massive quantities of papers dealing with AFB1-binding of lactobacilli, there are no data for microbial binding of the structurally similar mycotoxin sterigmatocystin (ST). In addition, previous works focused on the detection of AFB1 in extracts, while in this case, analytical determination was necessary for the microbial biomass as well. To test binding capacities, a rapid instrumental analytical method using high-performance liquid chromatography was developed and applied for measurement of AFB1 and ST in the biomass of the cultured bacteria and its supernatant, containing the mycotoxin fraction bound by the bacteria and the fraction that remained unbound, respectively. For our AFB1 and ST adsorption studies, 80 strains of the genus Lactobacillus were selected. Broths containing 0.2 µg/mL AFB1and ST were inoculated with the Lactobacillus test strains. Before screening the strains for binding capacities, optimisation of the experiment parameters was carried out. Mycotoxin binding was detectable from a germ count of 10⁷ cells/mL. By studying the incubation time of the cells with the mycotoxins needed for mycotoxin-binding, co-incubation for 10 min was found sufficient. The presence of mycotoxins did not affect the growth of bacterial strains. Three strains of L. plantarum had the best AFB1 adsorption capacities, binding nearly 10% of the mycotoxin present, and in the case of ST, the degree of binding was over 20%. Full article