Citrinin is a nephrotoxic mycotoxin which can be synthesized by Monascus mold during the fermentation process in foods. Monascus, generally described as red mold, is a red-pigmented filamentous fungus attracting a great interest for the production of natural dyes and cholesterol-lowering statins. We individuated a specie of Monascus producing high amount of natural dyes. However, this high pigmentation was correlated with the production of citrinin. Peculiar magnetic nanoparticles, synthesized in-house and called "Surface Active Maghemite Nanoparticles" (SAMNs), are proposed as an efficient and reliable mean for citrinin removal from Monascus treated foods. The nanomaterial efficiency for citrinin binding was proved on Monascus suspensions, and SAMN@citrinin complex was characterized by Mӧssbauer spectroscopy and magnetization measurements, showing that SAMNs resulted structurally and magnetically well conserved after citrinin binding. SAMNs are excellent and stable magnetic nano-carrier for toxin removal, which can be applied in food industry.

Department of Chemical and Food Engineering Campus Reitor João David Ferreira Federal University of Santa Catarina Brazil

Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science University of Padua Italy

Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science University of Padua Italy; Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials Department of Physical Chemistry Palacký University in Olomouc Czech Republic

Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials Department of Physical Chemistry Palacký University in Olomouc Czech Republic

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Nanoparticles as a Solution for Eliminating the Risk of Mycotoxins