Using Response Surface Methodology for Assessment of Heating Effect on Reduction of Aflatoxin

Considerable attempts have been made for the complete elimination of aflatoxins (AFs), as potent health hazards to both humans and animals, or reduction of their content in foodstuffs with increasing the knowledge and awareness of these toxins. In spite of the fact that the most effective intervention is considered prevention, heating has been also applied for the inactivation of AFs in contaminated foodstuffs. In the present study, the adoption of response surface methodology was evaluated for the assessment of the effect of heating on the reduction of AFs. Despite various degrees of AF decrease in the samples by treatment, a significant reduction was observed in the heated samples at a temperature of 90°C for 240 min. According to the results of the current study, a 23.70 % reduction was reported in the amount of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). Various treatment conditions demonstrated a significant difference in AFB1 decomposition (p < 0.05). In addition, AFB1 degrading was reported to be depending on both time and temperature. After the statistical analysis of the obtained data, the third-order equation for the reduction of AFB1 is presented as follows (A: Time; B:Heating): AFB1 = 12.28 + 6.24A + 4.95B + 1.12AB - 3.11A2 + 1.55B2