Decontamination of Aflatoxins in Edible Oils: A Comprehensive Review

The majority of crops can be contaminated by aflatoxins mainly due to the insufficiency of cultivation or storage techniques. Therefore, the possible presence of aflatoxins in edible oil is inevitable which can cause some health problems for consumers. Due to the possible degradation of aflatoxins to the other toxicant compound and its interaction with the food components, it is necessary to study decontamination methods from the safety point of view. In this regard, this review is mainly focused on all proposed methods to degrade or reduce aflatoxins in edible oils that they categorized in three major groups (chemical, physical, and biological (while the UV irradiation, gamma irradiation, pulsed light, and absorbents are the main physical techniques for aflatoxins decontamination)). Moreover, using chemical agents such as alkaline solutions (e.g., sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide), ozone, and electrolyzed water are among suggested chemical methods. While no studies have been conducted regarding the application of biological methods for the decontamination of aflatoxins in edible oils. However, the associated mechanisms with decontamination and their possible effects on the nutritional and sensorial attributes of the final detoxified oil should be carefully considered.