Boosting modern technologies with emphasis on biological approaches to potentiate prevention and control of aflatoxins: recent advances

Abstract

Aflatoxins, the secondary metabolite of some Aspergillus sp., contaminate food products worldwide and are a matter of great concern due to their carcinogenic and mutagenic effects on humans. Being thermostable in nature, they remain in processed food items causing a major challenge to human health. Different modern techniques have been incorporated to potentiate the frequently used physical, chemical and biocontrol methods to manage aflatoxin production in food items. Recently, botanical formulations are gaining great attention as a detoxifying approach due to their safer and eco-friendly attributes. Nanoencapsulation technique and transgenic approaches are some advancements in practical application of botanical formulations in order to enhance their bio-efficacy. The article summarizes the recent advancements with emphasis on biological approaches to potentiate prevalent preventive methodologies for the management of aflatoxin production in the food system along with their probable mode of actions.

Keywords:

• Ergosterol
• essential oil
• methylglyoxal
• nanoencapsulation
• transgenics

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) [grant no.: 09/013(0920)/2019-EMR-I] and University Grant Commission (UGC) [grant no.: 16–9(June 2018)/2019(NET/CSIR)], New Delhi, India for providing financial assistance.