Ozone has been found to be effective in reducing aflatoxin levels by as much as 95%. Aflatoxin can occur in the field before harvest, postharvest, during storage, processing, and feeding under a wide range of climatic conditions. major factor in the high incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma, a malignant neoplasm of hepatic cells, commonly referred to as primary liver cancer. Apart from its effect on health, aflatoxin contamination also impacts the agricultural economy through the loss of produce and the time and cost involved in monitoring and decontamination efforts.
Ozonation can effectively reduce aflatoxin levelsl in naturally contaminated maize by about 92%.
They are produced primarily by moulds of the genus Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Penicillium. Aflatoxin has been reported to be carcinogenic, teratogenic, tremorgenic, and dermatitic to a wide range of organisms, and known to cause hepatic carcinoma in humans.
The most important groups of mycotoxins that occur quite often in food are aflatoxins and ochratoxins (produced mainly by Aspergillus spp.), trichothecenes, zearalenone, and fumonisins (produced by Fusarium spp.), and patulin (produced by Penicillium spp.). They received by far the most attention due to their frequent occurrence and their negative effect on human and animal health.
Methods for controlling aflatoxin are largely preventive. They include good agronomic practices such as using sound, fungus-free seeds for planting, controlling insects and plant diseases, and proper irrigation practices. In addition, aflatoxin production also can be successfully prevented by good harvesting, drying and storage practices.
Control or prevention of contamination include physical, chemical or biological removal, or use of chemical or physical inactivation.
But for these to work they must:
- Inactivate, remove or destroy the toxin,
- Not leave or produce toxic residues, (
- Retain the commodity’s nutritive value,
- Not alter technological properties, and
- Destroy, if possible, fungal spores.
Gaseous ozone will be effective in reducing aflatoxin levels by as much as 95% in maize.
In cottonseed meal, 91% of the total aflatoxin content was destroyed by ozone in two hours.
In peanut meal, 78% of aflatoxin was destroyed in one hour.
No harmful effect of ozone-treated grain or nuts will be found in animals and humans.
The ozonation process reduces total aflatoxin by 24% for pistachio kernels.
No significant changes will occur between sweetness, rancidity, flavour, appearance and overall palatability of ozonated and non-ozonated pistachio kernels.
The process reduces the aflatoxin content in flaked red pepper by as much as 80% after ozonation for 60 min.
The level of aflatoxin in crushed red pepper will be reduced by as much as 93% after exposure to gaseous ozone for 60 minutes
Exposure to aflatoxin is generally considered to be a major factor in the high incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma, a malignant neoplasm of hepatic cells, commonly referred to as primary liver cancer. Apart from its effect on health, aflatoxin contamination also impacts the agricultural economy through the loss of produce and the time and cost involved in monitoring and decontamination efforts.
The use of chemical treatments to decontaminate aflatoxin-containing commodities is currently the most practical approach. Although these chemical treatments are effective, through their direct and indirect interaction with either mould or aflatoxins, concerns about decontamination products are still the points of contention and are undergoing extensive investigations.
