Research Progress on the Microbial Metabolism of Aflatoxin B₁

Aflatoxin, the secondary metabolites mainly produced by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasite, are the most commonnatural food contaminants in cereals, peanuts and corn. In southern China, aflatoxin contamination in crops is extremely severe under the humid and hot climate, which lead to substantial economic losses. Applying the strategy of microorganism biodegradation of aflatoxinis currently an ideal detoxification approach with highspecificity and efficiency and mild reaction conditions. Here, a brief review is presented to introduce the formation, structural characteristics andtoxic groups of aflatoxin B₁. We focus on microorganism biodegradation of aflatoxin B₁, introducing the key microorganisms, enzymes, metabolic pathways and practical application for biodegradation.