Aflatoxin Reduction in Maize by Industrial-Scale Cleaning Solutions

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Food Science
• Mycotoxicology

Background:

• Maize is a crucial crop susceptible to aflatoxin contamination.
• Aflatoxins pose significant risks to animal and human health.
• Effective decontamination strategies are essential for feed and food safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate industrial-scale cleaning solutions for aflatoxin reduction in maize.
• To assess the efficacy of mechanical and optical sorting methods.
• To determine aflatoxin levels in rejected fractions.

Main Methods:

• Industrial-scale processing of contaminated maize using continuous and discontinuous cleaning lines.
• Investigated cleaning solutions: mechanical size separation, aspiration, gravity separation, and optical sorting.
• Aflatoxin analysis using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and immunoaffinity column cleanup.

Main Results:

• Continuous cleaning lines achieved 65%-84% aflatoxin reduction.
• Combined cleaning steps resulted in 55%-94% overall aflatoxin reduction.
• Rejected fractions, particularly dust and aspirator/optical sorter rejects, contained high aflatoxin levels (up to 490 µg/kg).

Conclusions:

• A cleaning line integrating mechanical and optical sorting is highly effective for reducing aflatoxin contamination in maize.
• The study demonstrates a viable industrial solution for mitigating aflatoxin risks in maize.
• Targeting rejected fractions can help manage high aflatoxin concentrations.