Efficacy of Acid-Treated Mangosteen Peel as a Broad-Spectrum Mycotoxin Binder

Multiple mycotoxins in feed threaten animal health and food safety, demanding sustainable mitigation strategies. This study evaluated acid-modified mangosteen peel (AMP), an agricultural by-product, as a potential multi-mycotoxin adsorbent. Physicochemical characterization using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses demonstrated that acid modification increased surface area (1.9 to 9.03 m²/g), pore volume (0.005 to 0.027 cm³/g), and surface negativity, indicating enhanced adsorption properties. In vitro binding experiments assessed adsorption of aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁), zearalenone (ZEA), ochratoxin A (OTA), T-2 toxin, deoxynivalenol (DON) and fumonisin B₁ (FB₁) under different pH conditions. AMP exhibited high adsorption efficiencies for AFB₁, ZEA, OTA, and T-2 toxin, particularly at pH 3, whereas DON and FB₁ showed limited binding. Adsorption behavior was dose-dependent and best described by Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. Simulated gastrointestinal digestion indicated stable binding of AFB₁ and ZEA under gastric conditions, with partial release of some toxins at neutral pH. Cytotoxicity assessment in porcine intestinal epithelial cells (IPEC J2) showed no apparent cytotoxic effects at 0.25-1 mg/mL. Therefore, AMP demonstrated improved multi-mycotoxin adsorption compared to the untreated material and showed no apparent cytotoxic effects in vitro within the tested concentration range, indicating its potential as a promising feed additive candidate.