Surface binding of aflatoxin B1 by Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains with potential decontaminating abilities in indigenous fermented foods

Saccharomyces cerevisiae constitutes one of the most important microorganisms involved in food fermentations throughout the world. Aflatoxin B1 binding abilities of S. cerevisiae strains isolated from indigenous fermented foods from Ghana, West Africa were tested in vitro. Results show that aflatoxin binding was strain specific with 7 strains binding 10–20%, 8 strains binding 20–40% and 3 strains binding more than 40% of the added aflatoxin B1 when grown and incubated under standard conditions. Binding by two of the strains was further characterized. Highest binding capacity was seen with cells collected at the exponential growth phase with the strains A18 and 26.1.11 binding 53.0 and 48.8% of the total toxin respectively and the binding reduced towards the stationary phase. Aflatoxin B1 binding increased steadily when the cells were incubated with 1 to 20 μg/ml of aflatoxin B1. Binding was not affected by the cells grown at temperatures ranging from 20 to 37 °C, but was significantly reduced at 15 °C. Binding seems to be a physical phenomenon with cells treated at 52, 55 and 60 °C for 5 and 10 min or 120 °C for 20 min binding significantly higher quantities (more than 2-fold in 120 °C treated cells) of aflatoxin B1 than their viable counterpart. Similarly, when the cells were treated with 2 M HCl for 1 h, up to 2-fold increase in binding was observed. The results obtained show that some strains of S. cerevisiae, viable or non-viable, are effective aflatoxin binders and these properties should be considered in the selection of starter cultures for relevant indigenous fermented foods where high aflatoxin level is a potential health risk.