Irradiation for mold and mycotoxin control : a review

The mycotoxin issue requires constant vigilance from economic, regulatory, and scientific agents to minimize its toxicological effects on human and on animals. The implementation of good practices to avoid fungal growth and mycotoxin production on agricultural commodities is essential to achieve most restrictive safety standards; however, the contribution of novel technologies that may act on post-harvesting and post-storage situations may be equally important. Several methodologies, more or less technologically advanced, may be used for this purpose. In this work, we review the role, contribution, and impact of irradiation technology to control the presence of fungi and mycotoxins in food and in feed. The effect of this technology on the viability of mold spores and on the elimination of mycotoxins is reviewed. A critical evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages of irradiation in this context is presented.Thalita Calado and Luis Abrunhosa received support through grants SFRH/BD/79364/2011 and SFRH/BPD/43922/2008, respectively, from the Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia - FCT, Portugal. The authors also thank the FCT Strategic Project PEst-OE/EQB/LA0023/2013 and the project "BioInd - Biotechnology and Bioengineering for Improved Industrial and Agro-Food processes, REF. NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000028," which is cofunded by the Programa Operacional Regional do Norte (ON. 2 - O Novo Norte), QREN, FEDER