Mycotoxins are toxic compounds produced by certain fungi (moulds) that grow on food and crops under specific environmental conditions.These toxins pose significant health risks to humans and animals, including acute poisoning, immune suppression, and long-term effects such as cancer and organ damage 1.Mycotoxins include aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, patulin, fumonisins, zearalenone, and nivalenol/deoxynivalenol.Among the fungal species that produce mycotoxins, Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Penicillium genera are particularly remarkable.These moulds can contaminate various commodities, including spices, coffee beans, dried fruits, apples, nuts, and cereals.Acute exposure to mycotoxins may cause immunosuppression, liver and kidney damage, and, in extreme cases, even death.Prolonged exposure Mycotoxin contamination, particularly by Aspergillus niger, poses a significant threat to food safety and human health.This study aimed to investigate the removal of toxic potential of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and its postbiotic metabolites against A. niger mycotoxins, exploring their application as a natural biocontrol agent to enhance food safety.B. amyloliquefaciens was isolated from fermented pearl millet and identified via 16S rRNA sequencing (Accession ID: PP669689).The strain was characterized for tolerance to 0.3% bile, 5% NaCl, and 0.2% phenol, along with assessments of cell surface hydrophobicity and auto-aggregation properties.Cytotoxicity was evaluated through a hemolytic assay.Postbiotic metabolites were analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).Antifungal activity against A. niger was determined using agar well diffusion and dose-dependent growth inhibition assays.Mycotoxin adsorption was assessed by a binding assay, with mycotoxin levels quantified via high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).B. amyloliquefaciens displayed strong bile and salt tolerance, surviving optimally at 0.3% bile concentration and up to 5% NaCl.The strain exhibited high hydrophobicity (61.56% in n-hexadecane) and substantial auto-aggregation capacity (79.76% at 24 h).GC-MS analysis identified 20 bioactive metabolites with antifungal potential.The strain exhibited significant antifungal activity, generating a 23.4 mm inhibition zone, and showed dose-dependent fungal growth inhibition, with maximum efficacy at 50 g/ml of postbiotic extract.The binding assay revealed a 69.27% reduction in mycotoxin levels, demonstrating strong adsorption potential.B. amyloliquefaciens and its postbiotic metabolites effectively inhibit A. niger growth and reduce mycotoxin levels, providing a natural solution for improving food safety.
Rajendar et al. (Wed,) studied this question.