Aflatoxins (AFs) are classified as Group 1 carcinogen (carcinogenic to humans) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). AFs contamination in food and feed can adversely affect the health of human and animals as well as economical dam...
Aflatoxins (AFs) are classified as Group 1 carcinogen (carcinogenic to humans) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). AFs contamination in food and feed can adversely affect the health of human and animals as well as economical damage. In this study, a total of 134 fungal strains were isolated from 65 samples of meju, and then seven fungal isolates were selected for the potential aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-biodegradation fungi by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The seven fungi were identified by sequencing the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of fungal rDNA and beta-tubulin region as follows: 4 strains of Aspergillus oryzae, 1 of Aspergillus tubingensis/niger, 1 of Eurotium chevalieri, and 1 of Rhizopus oryzae/arrhizus. Biodegradation of AFB1 took place both in liquid culture and by cell-free culture liquid (CL). The ability of degrading AFB1 was analyzed by HPLC and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). In liquid culture, all of the seven fungal isolates were able to degrade more than 60% of AFB1 (initial concentration: 40 ㎍/L) within 14 days, and among them three isolates showed significant AFB1-biodegradation activity, which concentration of AFB1 decreased by more than 80%. CLs prepared from five fungal isolates degraded AFB1 approximately 60% within 7 days. Moreover, each CL was able to degrade not only AFB1 but also AFB2, and the ability of biodegradation disappeared in heat-treated CLs which was autoclaved at 121℃ for 15 minutes.