Aflatoxins Degradation by Microorganisms in Culture Medium

The known amount of aflatoxin B₁ and G₁ (100 ng/ml) was added into log phase cultures of the detoxifying microorganisms (Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bacillus stearothermophilus, Penicillium aurantiograseum var. viridicatum, Absidia repens and Flavobacterium multivorum) in their respective culture medium and aflatoxin was measured at different intervals of time. The degradation of AFB, was highest (78.77%) with F. multivorum and least (54.78%) with L. acidophilus on 10th day of incubation. AFG, was degraded completely by F. multivorum and partially (69.76%) by L, acidophilus, A. repens was found to be the second highest degrader of AFB and AFG,. Several unidentified peaks appeared in chromatograms indicating the formation of different metabolites of AFB and AFG₁ due to the action of F, multivorum.