Abstract
Cereals play an important role in global food security. Data from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization projects increased consumption of cereals from 2.6 billion tonnes in 2017 to approximately 2.9 billion tonnes by 2027. However, cereals are prone to contamination by toxigenic fungi, which lead to mycotoxicosis. The current methods for mycotoxin control involve the use of chemical preservatives. However, there are concerns about the use of chemicals in food preservation due to their effects on the health, nutritional quality, and organoleptic properties of food. Therefore, alternative methods are needed that are affordable and simple to use. The fermentation technique is based on the use of microorganisms mainly to impart desirable sensory properties and shelf-life extension. The lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are generally regarded as safe (GRAS) due to their long history of application in food fermentation systems and ability to produce antimicrobial compounds (hydroxyl fatty acids, organic acids, phenyllactic acid, hydrogen peroxide, bacteriocins, and carbon dioxide) with a broad range of antifungal activity. Hence, LAB can inhibit the growth of mycotoxin-producing fungi, thereby preventing the production of mycotoxins. Fermentation is also an efficient technique for improving nutrient bioavailability and other functional properties of cereal-based products. This review seeks to provide evidence of the potential of LAB from African fermented cereal-based products as potential biological agents against mycotoxin-producing fungi.
Highlights
Africa is an origin and the major producer of numerous cereals, including maize, finger millet, sorghum, pearl millet, rice, and teff [1]
Fermented food can act as vehicles or reservoirs of beneficial lactic acid bacteria (LAB) that produce antifungal products, which can help in food preservation and control of toxigenic fungi. erefore, this review seeks to provide evidence of the potential of LAB from African fermented cereal-based products as potential biological agents against mycotoxins-producing fungi. is is important as it builds on indigenous knowledge in food production and preservation systems, which is in line with the African commission priority areas of Agenda 2063 framework and the United Nations sustainable development goals relating to improved food and nutrition security [26, 27]
Most of the biological control strategies are promising and have shown reduced concentrations of aflatoxins, but the structure and toxicity of the detoxified products remain unclear [76]. Such strategies include breeding of maize-resistant cultivars, the introduction of biocontrol microorganisms, application of phenolic plant extracts, and expression of antifungal proteins and mycotoxins degrading enzymes in transgenic maize cultivars for the development of atoxigenic fungi that compete with toxigenic fungi in the environment [67]. e studies on microbial binding mainly focus on probiotics strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), including species of Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Bifidobacterium spp., and Propionibacterium and yeast strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae [76]
Summary
Africa is an origin and the major producer of numerous cereals, including maize, finger millet, sorghum, pearl millet, rice, and teff [1]. Maize is the major cereal crop produced and consumed in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), with about 300 million people depending on it for livelihood [1]. It is the most important staple food crop relied upon by approximately 96% of Kenyan citizens [4]. E use of LAB has shown the potential to control the growth of mycotoxins-producing fungi, thereby preventing mycotoxin production [23]. Erefore, this review seeks to provide evidence of the potential of LAB from African fermented cereal-based products as potential biological agents against mycotoxins-producing fungi. Fermented food can act as vehicles or reservoirs of beneficial LAB that produce antifungal products, which can help in food preservation and control of toxigenic fungi. erefore, this review seeks to provide evidence of the potential of LAB from African fermented cereal-based products as potential biological agents against mycotoxins-producing fungi. is is important as it builds on indigenous knowledge in food production and preservation systems, which is in line with the African commission priority areas of Agenda 2063 framework and the United Nations sustainable development goals relating to improved food and nutrition security [26, 27]
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