Detoxification of Aflatoxin B1 by Phytochemicals in Agriculture and Food Science

Abstract

Aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁), the most toxic and harmful mycotoxin, has a high likelihood of occurring in animal feed and human food, which seriously affects agriculture and food safety and endangers animal and human health. Recently, natural plant products have attracted widespread attention due to their low toxicity, high biocompatibility, and simple composition, indicating significant potential for resisting AFB₁. The mechanisms by which these phytochemicals resist toxins mainly involve antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic pathways. Moreover, these substances also inhibit the genotoxicity of AFB₁ by directly influencing its metabolism in vivo, which contributes to its elimination. Here, we review various phytochemicals that resist AFB₁ and their anti-AFB₁ mechanisms in different animals, as well as the common characteristics of phytochemicals with anti-AFB₁ function. Additionally, the shortcomings of current research and future research directions will be discussed. Overall, this comprehensive summary contributes to the better application of phytochemicals in agriculture and food safety.

Keywords: aflatoxin B1; agriculture; detoxification; food safety; phytochemical; toxic mechanism.