mycotoxin-control
Mycotoxin control encompasses the strategies and methods used to prevent, reduce, or eliminate toxic secondary metabolites produced by fungi that colonize crops and plant materials. In plant science, managing mycotoxin contamination is critical because these compounds not only threaten food and feed safety but also reflect underlying plant-fungal interactions, stress responses, and susceptibility traits. Research in this area informs the development of resistant crop varieties, optimized agronomic practices, and biological control agents that reduce fungal infection at the source.
open_in_new WikipediaPubMed · 2026-01-01
A scientific review examines why traditional methods for controlling mycotoxins — toxic compounds produced by molds on crops — keep falling short, and surveys a wave of biotechnological fixes including CRISPR gene editing, engineered bacteria, and nanosensors that are now close to real-world deployment in food and farming systems.
Traditional physical and chemical mycotoxin controls are frequently inefficient and raise safety concerns, creating urgent demand for biotechnological alternatives.
Five emerging technology classes — engineered microbes, nanotechnology sensors, phage therapy, CRISPR-Cas pathway editing, and plant-microbe biocontrol — show strong promise for integrated mycotoxin management.
Enzyme immobilization strategies that improve enzyme stability and reusability are highlighted as a practical near-term tool, with the review stating these biotechnological solutions are 'increasingly close to industrial deployment' in food and feed chains.