Biodegradation of benzo[a]pyrene by division of labor in co-culture of <i>Bacillus haynesii</i> and <i>Kluyveromyces marxianus</i> from kefir

Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) generated during thermal food processing is of serious threat to food safety. Microbial degradation has become the preferred option for the removal of BaP due to its high efficiency, low cost, and sustainability. In our study, the degradation efficiency of benzopyrene was enhanced by constructing a co-culture system of food microbial strains. Metabolomics disclosed the bacterial-fungal synergistic degradation mechanism in this system: yeast degraded and utilized BaP to provide energy for the bacteria, while the latter supplied amino acids for the yeast to fulfill its nutritional demands for growth.