A review on aflatoxins in oilseeds: Sustainable strategies for detoxification through physical and microbial approaches

Aflatoxins (AFs) are highly toxic and carcinogenic secondary metabolites produced by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, posing significant risks to food safety and public health. These mycotoxins commonly contaminate oilseeds such as peanuts, sunflower, cotton and maize seeds, particularly under warm and humid conditions. Controlling and reducing aflatoxin levels in these products is critical to ensuring food safety and complying with international regulatory standards. This review provides a comprehensive overview of current strategies for aflatoxin degradation in oilseeds, with a particular emphasis on physical and microbial approaches. Physical methods including thermal treatment, ammoniation, irradiation and advanced radiation techniques have been explored for their effectiveness in reducing aflatoxin levels. Microbial strategies involving specific bacteria, fungi and their enzymatic systems offer environmentally friendly and biologically based solutions for detoxification. The review critically examines the efficacy, mechanisms of action and limitations of each approach, highlighting the key factors that influence their success in practical applications. Moreover, it discusses the advantages and challenges associated with integrating these methods into existing food processing systems, considering factors such as cost-effectiveness, preservation of nutritional quality, regulatory acceptance and scalability. Finally, the review identifies key areas for future research, emphasizing the need to develop more efficient, sustainable and industrially viable technologies for large-scale aflatoxin decontamination in oilseeds. These advancements are essential for enhancing global food safety, protecting public health and supporting international trade.