Aflatoxin M1-Binding Ability of Selected Lactic Acid Bacteria Strains and Saccharomyces boulardii in the Experimentally Contaminated Milk Treated with Some Biophysical Factors

There is a growing concern regarding the recurrent observation of aflatoxins (AFs) in the milk of lactating animals. Regarding this, the present study was conducted to assess the aflatoxin M1 (AFM1)-binding ability of three species, namely Lactobacillus rhamnosus, L. plantarum, and Saccharomyces boulardii, in AFM1- contaminated milk. The mentioned species were administered at the concentrations of 107 and 109 CFU/mL to skimmed milk contaminated with 0.5 and 0.75 ng/mL AFM1 within the incubation times of 30 and 90 min at 4°C and 37°C. Lactobacillus rhamnosus was found to have the best binding ability at the concentrations of 107 and 109 (CFU/ml), rendering 82% and 90% removal in the milk samples with 0.5 and 0.75 ng/ml AFM1, respectively. Accordingly, this value at 107 and 109 CFU/ml of L. plantarum was obtained 89% and 82% with 0.75 ng/ml of AFM1, respectively. For S. boulardii at 107 and 109 CFU/ml, the rates were respectively estimated at 75% and 90% with 0.75 ng/ml of AFM1. The best AFM1-binding levels for L. rhamnosus, L. plantarum, and S. boulardii were 91.82±10.9%, 89.33±0.58%, and 93.20±10.9, respectively, at the concentrations of 1×109, 1×107, and 1×107 CFU/ml at 37, 4, and 37°C, respectively. In this study, the maximum AFM1 binding (100.0±0.58) occurred while a combination of the aforementioned probiotics was employed at a concentration of 1×107 CFU/ml at 37°C with 0.5 ng/ml AFM1, followed by the combination of L. rhamnosus and L. plantarum (95.86±10.9) at a concentration of 1×109 CFU/ml at the same temperature with 0.75 ng/ml AFM1. It was concluded that the use of S. boulardii in combination with Lactobacillus rhamnosus and L. plantarum, which bind AFM1 in milk, can decrease the risk of AFM1 in dairy products.