Prevention and detoxification of mycotoxins in food and feed: A review

Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by various species of fungi, including mainly Fusarium spp., Aspergillus spp., and Penicillium spp., which are found globally in different foods and animal feed. These substances present significant health risks to both humans and animals due to their carcinogenic, genotoxic, teratogenic, nephrotoxic, and hepatotoxic properties. These toxins contaminate food and feed products during the harvesting and storage process, affecting up to 50 % of the total and causing significant economic losses. The financial impact of this issue includes not only the costs associated with disposing of contaminated food but also a reduction in overall food productivity. The main types of mycotoxins that pose serious risks to both human and animal health include aflatoxins, fumonisins, ochratoxins, zearalenone, trichothecenes, ergot alkaloids and patulin. The impact of physical and chemical methods on food quality, their environmental toxicity, cost implications, and potential for leaving residues, as well as concerns about the consistency of production with biological processes, are among the limitations. Advances in biotechnology are expected to offer the greatest potential for future improvements. This review aims to highlight the latest techniques used to reduce or eliminate mycotoxins in food and feed materials using physical, chemical, and biological methods.