Biological Control and Mitigation of Aflatoxin Contamination in Commodities

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Microbiology
• Agricultural Science

Background:

• Aflatoxins (AFs) are toxic metabolites from Aspergillus species posing a significant threat to the feed and food chain.
• Current mitigation strategies, including physical, chemical, and biological methods, have not yielded universal solutions for AF reduction.
• Contamination poses risks to animal and human health, impacting veterinary, medical, and agro-industry sectors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and consolidate current biological control strategies for mitigating aflatoxin contamination.
• To evaluate the efficacy of pre-harvest and post-harvest biological interventions.
• To highlight the potential of biological agents in reducing AF levels in feed and food.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature review of biological control methods against aflatoxins.
• Analysis of pre-harvest biocontrol strategies, including competitive exclusion and biofungicides.
• Examination of post-harvest technologies utilizing bacteria, yeasts, and fungi, including their excretes.
• Inclusion of the role of ruminal degradation in mitigating AF toxicity.

Main Results:

• Biological control agents like bacteria, yeasts, and fungi, along with their excretes, demonstrate potential in alleviating AF toxicity.
• Pre-harvest biocontrol offers a significant opportunity for on-site reduction of AF production.
• Post-harvest application of microbial cultures can effectively reduce AF contamination levels.
• Ruminal degradation plays a role in managing AFs within the animal feed chain.

Conclusions:

• Biological control presents a viable and sustainable approach to manage aflatoxin contamination in agricultural products.
• Pre-harvest biocontrol strategies are crucial for proactive AF mitigation at the source.
• Post-harvest biological treatments, combined with pre-harvest methods, can significantly reduce AF levels without relying on synthetic chemicals.
• Further research and application of these biological methods are essential for ensuring feed and food safety.