PROBIOTIC-BASED STRATEGIES FOR MYCOTOXIN MANAGEMENT IN FOOD SAFETY

Mycotoxins are potentially harmful secondary metabolites produced by filamentous fungi which greatly endanger food safety and public health. Focusing cost and environmental impact, physical and chemical methods amply fail about efficacy, with traditional methods of mycotoxin control addressing control neglecting efficacy. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) probiotics as well as Bifidobacterium species expand mycotoxin management with their binding and degrading capabilities which make them a useful biological approach. This research will analyze different food matrices for evidence of contamination and mycotoxin bearing probiotics binding, degradation, and tissue disruption processes. The capacity of probiotic strains, such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Bifidobacterium bifidum, to bind and break down mycotoxins such aflatoxin B1, ochratoxin A, and zearalenone was evaluated. The stability and effectiveness of probiotics were evaluated using controlled studies that varied pH, temperature, and food matrix composition. Lactobacillus plantarum has a 90% binding rate for ochratoxin A and a high binding efficiency (85%) for aflatoxin B1. Zearalenone was efficiently broken down into nonestrogenic metabolites by Bifidobacterium bifidum. Mycotoxin contamination decreased by up to 80% and 70%, respectively, when probiotics were added to milk and cereal products. Probiotic-based approaches provide a viable and efficient substitute for mycotoxin management in food safety. For broad use, however, issues with stability, strain fluctuation, and sensory impacts must be resolved