Properties and Fermentation Activity of Industrial Yeasts and Exposed to AFB, OTA and ZEA.

In this paper the effect of aflatoxin B, ochratoxin A and zearalenon on morphology, growth parameters and metabolic activity of yeasts , , and was determined. The results showed that the three mycotoxins affected the morphology of all these yeasts, primarily the cell diameter, but not their final cell count. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that the yeast membranes bound the mycotoxins, in particular. The cell membranes of most yeasts underwent denaturation, except exposed to ochratoxin A and zearalenone. In the early stage of fermentation, all mycotoxin-exposed yeasts had lower metabolic activity and biomass growth than controls, but fermentation products and biomass concentrations reached the control levels by the end of the fermentation, except for exposed to 20 µg/mL of zearalenone. The adaptive response to mycotoxins suggests that certain yeasts could be used to control mycotoxin concentrations in the production of fermented food and beverages.