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Peer-reviewedCC BYToxins

From Laboratory Screening to Field Application: A Comprehensive Review of Biocontrol Strategies Against Aflatoxin Contamination.

  • Christopher Hernandez1
  • Vincent Merlhiot2
  • Selma P Snini3
  • Florence Mathieu3
  • Vanessa Durrieu1
  • Jean-Denis Bailly1,4
4 affiliations
  1. 1Laboratoire de Chimie Agroindustrielle, Toulouse INP, INRAE, University of Toulouse, 31400 Toulouse, France.
  2. 2École Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, University of Toulouse, Toulouse CEDEX 3, 31076 Toulouse, France.
  3. 3Laboratoire de Génie Chimique, Toulouse INP, CNRS, University of Toulouse, 31400 Toulouse, France.
  4. 4École Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, Laboratoire de Chimie Agroindustrielle, Toulouse INP, INRAE, University of Toulouse, 23 Chemin des Capelles, 31076 Toulouse, France.
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Abstract

Aflatoxins are carcinogenic mycotoxins that can contaminate many crops and whose distribution is increasing due to climate change. Given the mutagenic and carcinogenic properties of aflatoxins, protecting public health requires minimizing dietary exposure. In the European Union, maximum regulatory levels can be as low as 0.10 µg/kg for AFB1 in processed cereal-based foods and baby foods. Once produced, aflatoxins are stable, so the best way to protect consumers is to minimize aflatoxin production. Numerous studies have investigated sustainable and eco-friendly strategies to limit aflatoxin contamination in food and feed. These strategies rely on microorganisms or natural, plant-derived compounds that hinder the development of aflatoxigenic species and/or specifically inhibit toxin biosynthesis. However, a substantial translational gap remains between initial in vitro evidence of the effects on fungal growth and/or aflatoxin synthesis and the effective application of such biocontrol agents under field conditions. This review aims to clarify the current state of the art by presenting the diverse biocontrol strategies currently being investigated to combat aflatoxins. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of such strategies and describe the level of technological readiness, which spans from in vitro tests to large-scale in-field applications.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{hernandez2026from,
  title = {{From Laboratory Screening to Field Application: A Comprehensive Review of Biocontrol Strategies Against Aflatoxin Contamination.}},
  author = {Christopher Hernandez and Vincent Merlhiot and Selma P Snini and Florence Mathieu and Vanessa Durrieu and Jean-Denis Bailly},
  journal = {Toxins},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.3390/toxins18100437},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42931528},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - From Laboratory Screening to Field Application: A Comprehensive Review of Biocontrol Strategies Against Aflatoxin Contamination.
AU  - Christopher Hernandez
AU  - Vincent Merlhiot
AU  - Selma P Snini
AU  - Florence Mathieu
AU  - Vanessa Durrieu
AU  - Jean-Denis Bailly
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/11
JO  - Toxins
DO  - 10.3390/toxins18100437
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42931528
AB  - Aflatoxins are carcinogenic mycotoxins that can contaminate many crops and whose distribution is increasing due to climate change. Given the mutagenic and carcinogenic properties of aflatoxins, protecting public health requires minimizing dietary exposure. In the European Union, maximum regulatory levels can be as low as 0.10 µg/kg for AFB1 in processed cereal-based foods and baby foods. Once produced, aflatoxins are stable, so the best way to protect consumers is to minimize aflatoxin production. Numerous studies have investigated sustainable and eco-friendly strategies to limit aflatoxin contamination in food and feed. These strategies rely on microorganisms or natural, plant-derived compounds that hinder the development of aflatoxigenic species and/or specifically inhibit toxin biosynthesis. However, a substantial translational gap remains between initial in vitro evidence of the effects on fungal growth and/or aflatoxin synthesis and the effective application of such biocontrol agents under field conditions. This review aims to clarify the current state of the art by presenting the diverse biocontrol strategies currently being investigated to combat aflatoxins. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of such strategies and describe the level of technological readiness, which spans from in vitro tests to large-scale in-field applications.
SN  - 2072-6651
ER  -