Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 6, 2026
Non-destructive SPE-UPLC-based Quantification of Aflatoxins and Stilbenoid Phytoalexins in Single Peanut (Arachis spp.) Seeds
Published on: April 19, 2024
Synergistic detoxification of aflatoxin B1 using paraprobiotics and phytochemical extracts: quantitative analysis and
Omid Haji Kandi1, Seyed Mohammad Mahdi Hamdi1, Mansour Bayat2
1Department of Biology, CT.C, Islamic Azad University Tehran, Iran.
Background:
Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), a potent group I carcinogen produced by Aspergillus species, poses a significant food safety challenge. This study evaluates the synergistic efficacy of heat-inactivated Lactobacillus (L.) brevis and L. paracasei (paraprobiotics) combined with ethanolic extracts of Punica (P.) granatum and Asparagus (A.) khorasanensis for AFB1 detoxification, extending prior findings on their anti-aflatoxigenic properties via gene expression modulation.
Methods:
AFB1 was produced using Aspergillus flavus PTCC 5006. Paraprobiotics were prepared by thermal inactivation, with cell wall integrity assessed via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Phytochemicals were characterized using high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC-DAD). AFB1 levels were quantified via HPLC with fluorescence detection (limit of detection [LOD]: 0.25 µg/mL; limit of quantification [LOQ]: 0.75 µg/mL). Dose-response relationships and synergy were evaluated using the Chou-Talalay combination index (CI).
Results:
Paraprobiotics reduced AFB1 by 47.2% (95% CI: 44.8-49.6%, Cohen's d=1.8) at 108 CFU/mL, outperforming viable probiotics (30.6%, p<0.001). The binary extract mixture (250 µg/mL each) achieved a 43.7% reduction (95% CI: 40.5-46.9%, CI=0.78). The combined treatment yielded an 85.8% reduction (95% CI: 82.3-89.3%, CI=0.65, p<0.001), indicating strong synergy, correlated with downregulated aflatoxin biosynthesis genes (aflD, aflT, aflR, aflM).
Conclusion:
The paraprobiotic-phytochemical combination offers a dual-mechanism approach for AFB1 detoxification, integrating physical sequestration and transcriptional suppression. This strategy holds promise for food safety applications, warranting further in vivo and food matrix studies.
