A promising innovative technique for mycotoxin detoxification from beverages using biofilms of lactic acid bacteria

Abstract

This study assessed the removal of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) and ochratoxin A (OTA) from artificially contaminated whole UHT milk and red grape juice, respectively, using biofilms from Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG. Using ELISA, the level of AFM1 and OTA removal from beverages was determined depending on various factors. Biofilms of various ages demonstrated varying degrees of AFM1 removal capacity from phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). Different levels of AFM1 contaminated whole UHT milk (0.1, 0.2, and 1 μg/L) and OTA contaminated red grape juice (2 and 4 μg/L) were tested in the detoxification process. The binding ability of mycotoxins was improved by increasing the biofilm surface area up to 70 cm2. L. rhamnosus GG biofilm was effective in removing mycotoxins within a short contact time ranging from 1 to 10 min. The proportion of bound AFM1 and OTA by L. rhamnosus GG biofilm was 64.6 and 98.3% respectively. A new machine has been proposed and used as a trial for detoxication purposes which would be a promising application in liquid food industries.