Using Beneficial Lactic Acid Bacteria to Remove or Inhibit Ochratoxin A from Foods: Review

Abstract

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is one of the most potent and global mycotoxins, primarily produced by the Aspergillus and Penicillium fungi. Its presence in different cereals, coffee, wine, and dairy products remains a global public health and food security concern. Besides, traditional decontamination techniques (physical and chemical) may be ineffective, highly expensive, and cause significant changes in the nutrition and the sensory attributes of the products. Over the last few years, biological detoxification has proven to be the most dependable, cost-effective, and environmentally safe method. Particularly, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have the capability to reduce fungal growth and detoxify OTA through cell wall adsorption, enzymatic biotransformation, and fungal growth inhibition. This article reviews the OTA contamination, the consequences of mycotoxin poisoning, and the established detoxification regulatory parameters before detailing the mechanisms employed by LAB in detoxification in different food matrices. The detoxification mechanisms are influenced by strain, detoxification parameters, and the environment, which are all thoroughly explained. The review also outlines the obstacles and safety issues surrounding the LAB detoxification approach in food industrialization and the anticipated developments in this area. Increasing evidence promotes against OTA contamination the positive biological actions of LAB as ongoing safe biocontrol agents and sustainable dependable practitioners of effective biocontrol. This becomes an important improvement in global food safety.