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Microbiome-Based Control of Postharvest Mycotoxin-Producing Fungi in Cereals
Ajay Kumar1, Vivek Kumar Gaur1, Amit Kaushik2
1Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Sector-125, Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201313, India.
Journal of Food Protection
|July 14, 2026
Summary
Beneficial microbes and AI-driven monitoring offer sustainable solutions to combat mycotoxin contamination in food. This digital-biological approach enhances food security by replacing harmful fungicides with eco-friendly alternatives.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Microbiology
- Food Science
Background:
- Mycotoxin contamination poses a significant threat to global food security.
- Synthetic fungicides face challenges due to resistance and toxicity.
- Current mycotoxin control strategies are often reactive and insufficient.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present an integrated framework for postharvest mycotoxin control.
- To explore the role of microbiome modulation in suppressing mycotoxigenic fungi.
- To evaluate advanced technologies like AI for proactive mycotoxin risk management.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of current knowledge on mycotoxin ecology.
- Analysis of beneficial microbial consortia and their antagonistic mechanisms.
- Evaluation of multi-omics approaches and artificial intelligence (AI).
Main Results:
- Beneficial microbes suppress mycotoxigenic fungi via competitive exclusion, mycoparasitism, and enzymatic detoxification.
- Microbial antagonists can be classified by ecological niche and function.
- AI and sensor-based systems offer potential for real-time risk prediction and mitigation.
Conclusions:
- Postharvest mycotoxin control is shifting towards a digital-biological paradigm.
- Microbiome engineering and intelligent monitoring provide sustainable, residue-free alternatives.
- Further research is needed to validate and scale these integrated approaches.
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