Zaixu Wang (first author) from the team of Prof. Yingjian Lu, School of Food Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Finance and Economics, published an article entitled “Effective removal of aflatoxin B1 using modified attapulgite loaded with bacillomycin D from stored peanut kernels”.
China is one of the largest peanut producers in the world. When peanuts contain high levels of Aspergillus flavus spores and mycelium, AFB1 may be produced rapidly under suitable temperature and humidity conditions, resulting in incalculable economic losses. Currently, aflatoxin treatment methods include physical, chemical and biological methods, among which biological treatment is more energy-saving and environmentally friendly.Bacillomycin D (BD) is a natural antimicrobial lipopeptide produced by the secondary metabolism of Bacillus sp. It possesses excellent biological activities, such as anti-fungal, anti-tumor, and anti-oxidation, and it is also characterized by its green and safe nature, easy degradation, and low drug resistance. Although BD has a strong inhibitory effect on Aspergillus flavus and reduces the production of AFB1, it has little effect on the toxins already present. Attapulgite (ATP) is a naturally occurring clay mineral that is widely used as an adsorbent due to its low cost and easy availability. ATP modified with acid has higher adsorption capacity. In a previous study, our team successfully loaded BD onto H-ATP to obtain biocomposites with antimicrobial and mycotoxin removal properties. However, ATP-loaded lipopeptide materials have been less used in grain storage.
In this study, acid-modified Aconite loaded bacillomycin D (H-ATP-BD) was used to remove aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) from peanuts. The H-ATP-BD treatment inhibited the mold growth of peanut kernels during storage. At 12% moisture content, H-ATP-BD treatment reduced the mildew rate from 52.3% to 18.2%. H-ATP-BD reduced the oxidative decomposition of fatty acids in peanut kernels and other oilseed products, and lowered the fatty acid value, peroxide value, and malondialdehyde content during storage, thus slowing down the deterioration of peanut kernel quality. H-ATP-BD was effective in extending the storage time of peanut kernels by inhibiting mold growth and scavenging pre-existing fungal toxins.H-ATP-BD incorporation significantly reduced AFB1 content in the range of 61.1%-85.2%. It was superior to BD and acid-modified bumpy clay (H-ATP) alone. Thus, the use of H-ATP-BD provides a new strategy for controlling mold contamination and detoxification in food to ensure food safety.
Fig. 1 Effects of different treatments on mildew in peanut kernels at different storage conditions. CK: The sample without other addition, BD: 62.5 g/g bacillomycin D, H-ATP: Acid-modified attapulgite composites, H-ATP-BD: Acid modified attapulgite loaded with bacillomycin D, 12%, 18%, and 24%: The original moisture contents of stored peanut kernels.
Fig. 2 Effects of different treatments on the fatty acid value of peanut kernels at different storage conditions. CK: The sample without other addition, BD: 62.5 g/g bacillomycin D, H-ATP: Acid-modified attapulgite composites, H-ATP-BD: Acid modified attapulgite loaded with bacillomycin D, 12%, 18%, and 24%: The original moisture contents of stored peanut kernels.
Fig. 3 Effects of different treatments on the peroxidation value of peanut kernels at different storage conditions. CK: The sample without other addition, BD: 62.5 μg/g bacillomycin D, H-ATP: Acid-modified attapulgite composites, H-ATP-BD: Acid modified attapulgite loaded with bacillomycin D, 12%, 18%, and 24%: The original moisture contents of stored peanut kernels.
Fig. 4 Effects of different treatments on the malondialdehyde in peanut kernels at different storage conditions. CK: The sample without other addition, BD: 62.5 μg/g bacillomycin D, H-ATP: Acid-modified attapulgite composites, H-ATP-BD: Acid modified attapulgite loaded with bacillomycin D, 12%, 18%, and 24%: The original moisture contents of stored peanut kernels.
Link：https://doi. org/10.1016/j.jspr.2024.102261.