Physical Techniques for Mitigating Food Mycotoxin Toxicity: Recent Advances and Synergistic Mechanisms

Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by toxigenic fungi such as Aspergillus and Fusarium that cause significant risks to human health. Conventional degradation methods for mycotoxin have some limitations such as hazardous chemical residues and adverse effects on food quality. Physical technologies such as cold plasma and ultrasound offer promising alternative to conventional decontamination methods of mycotoxins. The current review discusses the recent advances in mycotoxin decontamination of food by physical techniques, including cold plasma, pulsed light, ultraviolet, microwave, pulsed electric field, and ultrasound. In addition, potential synergistic effects of multiple decontamination methods such as pulsed electric field combined with ultrasound and pulsed electric field combined with ultraviolet are also covered. The use of physical techniques to degrade mycotoxins in foods presents a promising strategy for reducing the health risks posed by these harmful fungal metabolites, while avoiding the need for chemical additives. The toxicity studies showed that the degradation products of mycotoxins had less toxicity effect than mycotoxins. While promising, the efficiency of these physical methods varies depending on the food matrix, mycotoxin type, and processing conditions, necessitating optimized protocols to ensure complete degradation without compromising food safety or quality.