Invited review: Microbe-mediated aflatoxin decontamination of dairy products and feeds

Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus parasiticus, and Aspergillus nomius contaminate corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, tree nuts, figs, ginger, nutmeg, and milk. They produce aflatoxins, especially aflatoxin B₁, which is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Many studies have focused on aflatoxin removal from food or feed, especially via microbe-mediated mechanisms—either adsorption or degradation. Of the lactic acid bacteria, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG efficiently binds aflatoxin B₁, and a peptidoglycan in the bacterium cell wall plays an important role. This ability of L. rhamnosus GG should be applied to the removal of aflatoxin B₁. Aflatoxin can be removed using other aflatoxin-degrading microorganisms, including bacterial and fungal strains. This review explores microbe-associated aflatoxin decontamination, which may be used to produce aflatoxin-free food or feed.