Pulsed light treatment reduces microorganisms and mycotoxins naturally present in red pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) powder

Abstract

The impact of pulsed light (PL) treatment on naturally occurring microorganisms, mycotoxins, and on physicochemical properties in red pepper powder was investigated. Powder samples were exposed to different PL treatments up to 61 pulses, with fluence ranging from 1.0 to 9.1 J/cm2. The highest fluence applied (9.1 J/cm2, 61 pulses, 20 s) resulted in 2.7, 3.1, and 4.1 log CFU/g reduction of yeasts, molds, and total plate counts (TPC), where initial microbial loads were 4.6, 5.5, and 6.5 log CFU/g, respectively. At the same fluence intensity, a maximum reduction of 67.2, 50.9, and 36.9% of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), total aflatoxins (AF), and ochratoxin A (OTA) were detected, respectively. Proportional increase in temperature of the samples was observed from the absorbed PL energy, reaching maximum of 59.8°C. The inactivation of investigated microorganisms and mycotoxins followed first‐order kinetics (R2 > 0.95). The fluence intensity at 6.9 and 9.1 J/cm2 did not cause degradation, but rather a significant (p < .05) and apparent increase of total phenols. Total color difference (ΔE*) revealed only “slight differences,” compared to the untreated sample. In conclusion, higher reduction of microbial load and mycotoxins in red pepper powder could be achieved, when higher treatment intensity was applied. This suggests the PL as a potential technology for decontamination of red pepper powder and other spice powders. Practical Applications Pulsed light could be used for the decontamination of foods and reduce variety of spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms. Exposure of red pepper powder to different levels of doses proposed in this study demonstrates alternative approaches for microbial inactivation and mycotoxins degradation of the product. Moreover, pulsed light treatment is a young technology using short treatment times with potential feasibility. The technique can be of great interest for the scientific and industrial R&D community dealing with pulsed light technology, microbial, and mycotoxins inactivation kinetics, food safety, and quality control.

Current physical techniques for the degradation of aflatoxins in food and feed: Safety evaluation methods, degradation mechanisms and products

“…(2023) demonstrated that the degradation rates of AFB 1 , AFB 2 , AFG 1 , and AFG 2 in apple juice were respectively 72.09%, 73.65%, 57.06%, and 69.69% after pulsed light treatment with 40 flashes, and the quality of apple juice was not significantly influenced by pulsed light treatment. Pulsed light with 61 flashes (total light flux of 9.1 J/cm 2 ) could degrade 67.2% AFB 1 in red pepper powder, and the total phenols of treated powder significantly increased (Woldemariam et al., 2022). The degradation level of aflatoxins in rice bran and brown rice were significantly different.…”

Prunus spp. Fruit Quality and Postharvest: Today’s Challenges and Future Perspectives

“…According to Liu et al [91], approximately 500 mycotoxins have been identified, and among these, aflatoxins, ochratoxins, fumonisins, patulin, trichothecenes and zearalenone are the more frequent in agricultural goods and those with more adverse health effects on humans [92][93][94]. Excluding trichothecenes, all abovementioned mycotoxins are carcinogenic [89].…”

“…Fruit Quality and Postharvest: Today's Challenges and Future Perspectives DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.112638 Some technics, most of them using thermal mechanisms, have been developed to reduce mycotoxins from food [87]; however, in general, mycotoxins are stable including at temperatures of thermal operations (80-121°C). More recently, non-thermal techniques (cold plasma, pulsed light, pulsed electric fields, high pressure processing, electron beam irradiation) have being studied [87,93,94,[103][104][105][106][107][108].…”

Single, Subsequent, or Simultaneous Treatments to Mitigate Mycotoxins in Solid Foods and Feeds: A Critical Review

“…The same treatment parameters were applied to cause the reduction of total aflatoxins by 50.9%, aflatoxin B 1 by 67.2%, and ochratoxin A by 36.9%. Total phenols increased apparently and significantly, while the total color was slightly changed [ 81 ].…”

“…The chemical quality did not show significant changes as a result of this combined effect, but a significant change in the color of peanuts occurred [ 129 ]. In previously discussed studies about pulsed light treatments, the reduction rates of AFT, AFB 1 , and AFB 2 were in the range of 39.2 to 90.2% in red pepper powder and rice with different fluence ranges applied [ 81 , 83 ]. Therefore, combining an acid with pulsed light can be considered a beneficial combination, demonstrating higher efficiency in mitigating aflatoxins than each treatment alone.…”