PMID- 36668841 OWN - NLM STAT- MEDLINE DCOM- 20230124 LR - 20230131 IS - 2072-6651 (Electronic) IS - 2072-6651 (Linking) VI - 15 IP - 1 DP - 2022 Dec 28 TI - Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Charcoal, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae as Aflatoxin Adsorbents in Chocolate. LID - 10.3390/toxins15010021 [doi] LID - 21 AB - The high incidence of aflatoxins (AFs) in chocolates suggests the necessity to create a practical and cost-effective processing strategy for eliminating mycotoxins. The present study aimed to assess the adsorption abilities of activated charcoal (A. charcoal), yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), and the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus as AFs adsorbents in three forms-sole, di- and tri-mix-in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) through an in vitro approach, simulated to mimic the conditions present in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) based on pH, time and AFs concentration. In addition, the novel fortification of chocolate with A. charcoal, probiotic, and yeast (tri-mix adsorbents) was evaluated for its effects on the sensory properties. Using HPLC, 60 samples of dark, milk, bitter, couverture, powder, and wafer chocolates were examined for the presence of AFs. Results showed that all the examined samples contained AFs, with maximum concentrations of 2.32, 1.81, and 1.66 microg/kg for powder, milk, and dark chocolates, respectively. The combined treatment demonstrated the highest adsorption efficiency (96.8%) among all tested compounds. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis revealed the tested adsorbents to be effective AF-binding agents. Moreover, the novel combination of tri-mix fortified chocolate had a minor cytotoxicity impact on the adsorptive abilities, with the highest binding at pH 6.8 for 4 h, in addition to inducing an insignificant effect on the sensory attributes of dark chocolate. Tri-mix is thus recommended in the manufacturing of dark chocolate in order to enhance the safety of the newly developed product. FAU - Hamad, Gamal M AU - Hamad GM AUID- ORCID: 0000-0002-8910-4038 AD - Department of Food Technology, Arid Lands Cultivation Research Institute, City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications, New Borg El-Arab 21934, Egypt. FAU - Amer, Amr AU - Amer A AUID- ORCID: 0000-0002-5495-5828 AD - Department of Food Hygiene and Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21544, Egypt. FAU - El-Nogoumy, Baher AU - El-Nogoumy B AD - Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafr El Sheikh 33516, Egypt. FAU - Ibrahim, Mohamed AU - Ibrahim M AUID- ORCID: 0000-0003-0623-5225 AD - Department of Food Toxicology and Contaminants, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo 12622, Egypt. FAU - Hassan, Sabria AU - Hassan S AD - Department of Food Technology, Arid Lands Cultivation Research Institute, City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications, New Borg El-Arab 21934, Egypt. FAU - Siddiqui, Shahida Anusha AU - Siddiqui SA AD - Technical University of Munich Campus Straubing for Biotechnology and Sustainability, Essigberg 3, 94315 Straubing, Germany. AD - German Institute of Food Technologies (DIL e.V.), Prof.-von-Klitzing-Strasse 7, 49610 Quakenbruck, Germany. FAU - El-Gazzar, Ahmed M AU - El-Gazzar AM AD - Department of Veterinary Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21544, Egypt. FAU - Khalifa, Eman AU - Khalifa E AUID- ORCID: 0000-0003-1029-9571 AD - Department of Microbiology, Medicine/Alexandria University Branch, Matrouh University, Marsa Matruh 51511, Egypt. FAU - Omar, Sabrien A AU - Omar SA AD - Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt. FAU - Abd-Elmohsen Abou-Alella, Sarah AU - Abd-Elmohsen Abou-Alella S AUID- ORCID: 0000-0003-1925-6842 AD - Department of Food Hygiene and Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21544, Egypt. FAU - Ibrahim, Salam A AU - Ibrahim SA AUID- ORCID: 0000-0001-5395-9993 AD - Food and Nutritional Sciences, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, E. Market Street 1601, Greensboro, NC 24711, USA. FAU - Esatbeyoglu, Tuba AU - Esatbeyoglu T AUID- ORCID: 0000-0003-2413-6925 AD - Department of Food Development and Food Quality, Institute of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz University Hannover, Am Kleinen Felde 30, 30167 Hannover, Germany. FAU - Mehany, Taha AU - Mehany T AUID- ORCID: 0000-0001-7960-7558 AD - Department of Food Technology, Arid Lands Cultivation Research Institute, City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications, New Borg El-Arab 21934, Egypt. LA - eng PT - Journal Article PT - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't DEP - 20221228 PL - Switzerland TA - Toxins (Basel) JT - Toxins JID - 101530765 RN - 0 (Aflatoxins) RN - 16291-96-6 (Charcoal) RN - 0 (Powders) RN - 0 (Allergens) SB - IM MH - *Chocolate/analysis MH - Saccharomyces cerevisiae MH - *Aflatoxins/analysis MH - Charcoal/pharmacology MH - *Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus MH - Powders MH - *Cacao MH - Allergens PMC - PMC9863511 OTO - NOTNLM OT - Lactobacillus rhamnosus OT - Saccharomyces cerevisiae OT - aflatoxin OT - biocontrol OT - chocolate contamination OT - chocolate safety OT - gastrointestinal tract OT - natural adsorbent OT - probiotic COIS- The authors declare no conflict of interest. EDAT- 2023/01/21 06:00 MHDA- 2023/01/25 06:00 PMCR- 2022/12/28 CRDT- 2023/01/20 15:33 PHST- 2022/11/30 00:00 [received] PHST- 2022/12/18 00:00 [revised] PHST- 2022/12/23 00:00 [accepted] PHST- 2023/01/20 15:33 [entrez] PHST- 2023/01/21 06:00 [pubmed] PHST- 2023/01/25 06:00 [medline] PHST- 2022/12/28 00:00 [pmc-release] AID - toxins15010021 [pii] AID - toxins-15-00021 [pii] AID - 10.3390/toxins15010021 [doi] PST - epublish SO - Toxins (Basel). 2022 Dec 28;15(1):21. doi: 10.3390/toxins15010021.