Photocatalytic degradation of aflatoxin B1 in aqueous medium and non-alcoholic beer using chlorophyllin

Chlorophyllin (CHL) was used for the degradation of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in an aqueous medium and non-alcoholic beer (NAB). The effects of different light sources (white, red, blue, and ultraviolet), chlorophyllin concentrations (0.005, 0.01, and 0.02% w/v), and pHs (4 and 7) on the photocatalytic degradation of 40 μg/L AFB1 for 20 min were evaluated in the aqueous medium. The highest removal percentage of AFB1 (92.67%) was observed under red light in an aqueous solution containing 0.01% w/v CHL at pH 7 after 15 min. Moreover, mass spectrometry showed AFB1 photodegradation products with m/z values of 375, 275, 227, and 157. The toxicity of AFB1 and its photodegradation products was evaluated by a cytotoxicity test. The results indicated that the degradation products of AFB1 in the aqueous medium had no toxicity. Furthermore, the application of CHL in NAB removed a high percentage of AFB1 (84.63%) under red light irradiation without significant impacts on its overall sensory acceptability. As a result, the application of CHL can be a favorable and safe method to detoxify AFB1 in contaminated liquid foods.