Bojan Sarkanj
University North, Croatia
Title: Color sorting as a quick and cheap mycotoxin reduction method in the rye
Biography
Biography: Bojan Sarkanj
Abstract
Mycotoxins are ubiquitous toxic secondary metabolites of filamentous fungi. They are unavoidable contaminants that are heavily dependent on the weather conditions. To be able to reduce the exposure to the mycotoxins usually, post-harvesting mycotoxin reduction techniques are used. One of such techniques is color sorting. Except the mycotoxins, fungi are also producing the pigments as secondary metabolites, whose biosynthesis is triggered by the same molecular mechanisms due to proximity on the gene. The exact color changes are connected to the mycotoxin-producing fungi. The Fusarium spp. is producing the red pigment rubrofusarin and the yellow aurofusarin. The Aspergillus spp. are producing yellow asperversin and neoaspergillic acid or brown pigments. The Penicillium spp. are producing yellow anthraquinone or orange purpurogenone. The one more significant mycotoxin producer with visible changes on the color is Claviceps purpurea, the producer of ergot alkaloids. They are producing cereal like ergot sclerotia that are dark violet to black in color. The change in color is the main basis for the automated color sorting and reduction of mycotoxin contamination. Laboratory color sorting machine “Labseed” was used for color sorting the infected seeds and up to 95% of the mycotoxin concentration was reduced. The highest reduction was achieved with ergot alkaloids, while method was least effective for reduction of ochratoxin A (68% reduction).