Binding of Zearalenone, Aflatoxin B1, and Ochratoxin A by Yeast-Based Products: A Method for Quantification of Adsorption Performance

A methodology was developed to quantify the efficiency of yeast-based pro ducts for adsorption of three mycotoxins: zearalenone (ZEA), aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ), and ochratoxin A (OTA). Eight products were tested (yeast cell wall or in activated yeast). The described experimental protocol based on in vitro tests provi ded reliable isotherms for each mycotoxin. The most suitable models were the Hill model for ZEA, the Langmuir model for AFB 1 , and the Freundlich model for OTA. From these models, original mathematical affinity criteria were defined to quantif y the product adsorption performances for each mycotoxin. The best yeast product, a yeast cell wall from baker’s yeast, can adsorb up t o68 % of ZEA, 29 % of AFB 1 , and 62 % of OTA, depending on the mycotoxin concentrations. The adsorption capacity larg ely depended both on yeast composition and mycotoxin, but no direct correlation between yeast composition and adsor ption capacity was found, confirming that adsorption of mycotoxin on yeast-based products involves complex phenomena. The resul ts of this study are useful for comparing the adsorption efficiency of various yeast products and understanding the me chanisms involved in adsorption