Bacterial Detoxification of Mycotoxins in Infant Foods: Nutritional Implications and Safety

Abstract

Ensuring safe and nutritious food for infants is essential for their health and development. Mycotoxins, produced by molds, are particularly a concern, because of their prevalence in grains, fruits, and cereals and because of their severe health impacts, including liver and kidney damage, immune dysfunction, and impaired growth. Infants and young children are particularly vulnerable to mycotoxins, because their immune system is not fully developed and because of their rapid growth and high nutrient demands.

Biological detoxification, for example using bacteria and their activities to remove toxins, has emerged as a cost-effective and environment-friendly approach to remove mycotoxins. Past research has shown promising detoxification performance; however, the impact of biological detoxification on nutritional value of the food remains unknown. 

This study assesses how biological detoxification affects the retention of key nutrients (proteins, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals), food structure, digestibility, and nutrient bioavailability in foods commonly consumed by infants. It combines expertise in biological detoxification with the expertise in nutrition and child development and provides important new insights into the feasibility and impact of biological mycotoxin detoxification for improving the safety of infant foods.