Mycotoxins are toxic compounds produced by certain fungi that contaminate crops, posing significant risks to human and animal health in Europe. The primary mycotoxins of concern include aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, deoxynivalenol (DON), fumonisins, zearalenone, and T-2/HT-2 toxins. These toxins are commonly found in cereals, nuts, fruits, and animal feed. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has estimated that 25% of global food crop is heavily contaminated with mycotoxins.
In Europe, increased consumption of plant-based foods over animal-based products is in line with the European Union’s land use, climate and biodiversity strategies. In addition to the environmental aspect, healthiness is considered as the advantage of a plant-based diet compared to the abundant use of animal-based products. At the same time with growing need to increase the consumption of plant-based products, climate change increases the occurrence of extreme weather events, creating optimal growth conditions for fungal growth and accumulation of mycotoxins. Rising temperatures and unpredictable weather patterns increase fungal proliferation, raising the likelihood of mycotoxin contamination, which leads to crop losses, reduced yields, and economic losses for farmers and food industries. In terms of health risks, chronic exposure to mycotoxins can cause liver damage, immune suppression, kidney toxicity, and even carcinogenic effects, particularly with aflatoxins.
Due to health risks and economic losses associated with mycotoxins, the European Union enforces strict mycotoxin limits in food and feed and several measures have been adopted as mitigation strategies for mycotoxin risk. In pre-harvest stage, use of resistant crop varieties, crop rotation, and good agricultural practices have been shown to inhibit fungal growth. Similarly, in post-harvest stage proper drying, storage, and processing techniques hinder the emergence of mycotoxin contamination. Despite stringent regulations, monitoring and management efforts, mycotoxins remain a persistent challenge and a consequence of climate-driven risks in Europe. Therefore, there is a continuous demand for sustainable solutions, which has paved way for the emergence of innovative biocontrol methods. Soil microbes, more specifically bacteria and molds compete with the pathogenic fungi for nutrients and space, thereby limiting their proliferation. Some microbes produce antifungal compounds, enzymes, or volatile organic compounds that directly inhibit fungal growth and mycotoxin production. Additionally, beneficial food and feed microbes have shown potential to mitigate the aggravating mycotoxin problem through suppressing fungal growth and binding free mycotoxins.
Metabolic activity of food fermenting lactic acid bacteria (LAB) plays an important role in the nutritional value, sensory properties, shelf life, and safety of the products. Because of the capacity to suppress growth of toxigenic fungi and adsorb free mycotoxins, several LAB strains have been used as antifungal and anti-mycotoxigenic agents. Certain LAB species have shown the ability to inhibit the growth of key mycotoxigenic fungi such as Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Penicillium. In addition to direct antifungal activity, LAB can compete with fungi for nutrients and space, limiting their ability to colonize food and feed substrates. Apart from suppressing fungal growth, LAB have emerged as a promising biological approach for mitigating mycotoxin contamination due to their ability to bind, degrade, or transform these harmful compounds. These bacteria can physically bind mycotoxins to their cell walls, which reduces absorption in the digestive tract. Certain strains can produce enzymes that degrade or convert mycotoxins into less toxic or non-toxic metabolites. Additionally, LAB can enhance gut health and immunity, indirectly reducing the adverse effects of mycotoxin exposure.
The application of LAB in food preservation and biocontrol strategies presents a natural, safe, and eco-friendly approach in reducing fungal contamination and mycotoxin production, at the same time reducing reliance on chemical detoxification methods. However, factors such as strain specificity, environmental conditions, and mycotoxin concentration influence their efficacy. Despite these challenges, further research on optimizing LAB-based antifungal applications will enhance their role in improving food safety and reducing mycotoxin-related health risks.