The biological detoxification of deoxynivalenol: A review

Deoxynivalenol (DON), which is one of the most common mycotoxins produced by Fusarium species , is often found known to contaminated food and feed all around the world. It usually causes diarrhea, vomiting, and gastrointestinal inflammation in both humans and animals. At present, one promising method of dealing with this mycotoxin is to detoxify it biologically using microbes or enzymes. Some microorganisms have the ability to absorb or degrade mycotoxins before gastrointestinal absorption occurs. Many fungi and bacteria have been reported to be able to play a role in the biological detoxification of DON. In this review, the occurrence of DON in food and its toxic effects are presented and the mechanisms by which DON can be detoxified biologically are also discussed. Then, the progress made in detoxifying DON in recent years using fungi, bacteria, and enzymes is summarized in more detail. Future developments relating to DON detoxification are also evaluated. The overall purpose of this paper is to provide a reliable reference source for the biological detoxification of DON.

Keywords: adsorption; biodegradation; deoxynivalenol; vomitoxin.