Control of mycotoxin using nanopolymers prepared from natural sources

Abstract

Fungal toxins (mycotoxin) are secondary toxic metabolic products. The most famous of these mycotoxins are aflatoxins (AFs), ochratoxin A (OTA), zearalenone (ZEA) and fumonisins (FB1, FB2). However, aflatoxins are the most dangerous of all, which receive major attention and are most intensely studied. Aflatoxins produced by Aspergillus species mainly A. flavus and A. parasiticus. Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is the most potent hepatotoxic that is classified by IARC as group (1) carcinogens due to its relation to hepato- carcinogenic cell. Moreover, these metabolites cause considerable economic losses such as decreased yield, depreciated crop value, reduction in animal productivity and rise of human and animal medical care costs. Therefore, the prevention of the growth and invasion of these pathogenic fungi in the agricultural commodities is critically needed to prevent the contamination of mycotoxin. Due to the lack of practical solutions to totally preclude mycotoxin contamination in feeds, we have developed micro-particulate delivery system using yeast cell wall encapsulating mycotoxin binders as novel enhanced aflatoxin detoxifying agents in vitro using gastro-intestinal fluid and in vivo using animal experiments.