Mycotoxin remediation

Mycotoxin remediation refers to the systematic removal, sequestration, or detoxification of toxic secondary metabolites produced by fungi, such as Aflatoxins, Ochratoxins, and Trichothecenes, from food, feed, and biological environments [2, 11]. Rather than being a single molecular target, it encompasses various physical, chemical, and biological strategies aimed at mitigating health risks associated with mycotoxin exposure [2, 21]. Physical remediation relies on adsorbent materials like activated charcoal, bentonite clays, or yeast cell walls to sequester toxins in the digestive tract, thereby reducing their bioavailability [12, 20]. Biological remediation utilizes specific enzymes—such as zearalenone hydrolases or aflatoxin oxidases—to chemically alter toxic molecules into non-toxic or less potent compounds [2, 9]. These interventions are critical for preventing mycotoxicosis, which can cause acute organ failure, chronic immunosuppression, and hepatocellular carcinoma [10, 14, 17]. Clinically, therapeutic remediation may involve the off-label use of bile acid sequestrants like cholestyramine to interrupt the enterohepatic circulation of ingested toxins [8, 15, 22].

Other names

Mycotoxin detoxificationMycotoxin sequestrationMycotoxin decontaminationMycotoxin biotransformation

Remediation is achieved through physical adsorption (binding toxins to inert surfaces to prevent gastrointestinal absorption) or enzymatic biotransformation (chemically degrading toxins into less harmful metabolites).