Effect of combination processing on aflatoxin reduction: process optimization by response surface methodology. Issue 6 (24th February 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Subramanian, Vijayalakshmi; Shanmugam, Nadanasabapathi; Ranganathan, Kumar; Kumar, Sunny; Reddy, Rajeshwara
• Is Part Of: Journal of food processing and preservation. Volume 41:Issue 6(2017)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2017-02-24
• Subjects: aflatoxin (AFB1) -- combination processing -- potato dextrose agar -- pulsed electric field (PEF) -- retort processing -- response surface methodology (RSM); Food -- Preservation -- Periodicals; Food industry and trade -- Periodicals; 664.005
• DOI: 10.1111/jfpp.13230
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0145-8892

Abstract

Abstract: The food processing techniques have been established to provide nutritionally rich and safe products by reducing the toxin content both from the plant and microbial origin. In this study, the thermal processing method has been optimized, individually and in combination with pulsed electric field (PEF) by using response surface methodology, for its ability to reduce artificially spiked aflatoxin in potato dextrose agar. The thermal process was optimized, with factors pH (4–10), temperature (110–119 °C) and time (10–20 min) of treatment for the reduction percentage of aflatoxin B1 and total aflatoxin, wherein it followed a quadratic type model for both responses. But the effect of PEF treatment on reduction of aflatoxin B1 and total aflatoxin fitted in 2FI and quadratic models respectively. The combination (PEF + thermal) processing was performed using the optimized parameters; which resulted in a marginal increase in percentage of reduction when compared to the treatments performed individually. Practical applications: Aflatoxin is a potential threat to human health. The toxin known for its thermal stability has created a need for newer processing technologies to reduce content without compromising the quality and safety of the product. The application of Pulsed Electric Field, a non‐thermal process, in combination with thermal processing has been studied in this paper, for its successful application for the reduction in toxin in food products such as fruit juices, milk, peanut butter, and so forth.