Ability of selected microorganisms for removing aflatoxins in vitro and fate of aflatoxins in contaminated wheat during baladi bread baking

Aflatoxins (AFs), the secondary metabolites produced by species of Aspergillus, have harmful effects on humans, animals, and crops that result in illnesses and economic losses. This investigation was designed to assess the potential of four strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) for removing AFs in vitro. The stability of AFs complexes formed with LAB in viable and non-viable (heat treated) forms was assessed. The strain with the highest ability to bind AFs was selected to study its impact on removing AFs from contaminated wheat flour during baladi bread baking process. Three treatments of baladi bread produced from contaminated wheat flour were formulated including treatment (A) as control fermented by bakery yeast, treatment (B) fermented by Lactobacillus rhamnosus TISTR 541 and treatment (C) fermented by the mixture of bakery yeast and L. rhamnosus. The samples were collected during different steps of bread baking process. The results indicated that there were significant differences between the amounts of AFB and AFG detected in each sample and there were significant differences between the strains in their ability to bind AFB and AFG in the viable and heated stage. L. rhamnosus was the highest strain able to bind the AFB1 and treatment C was the highest in removing of AFs from contaminated wheat flour during baking process.