Enzymatic Mycotoxin Degradation in Grain Processing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mycotoxins in grains and feedstocks are resistant to processing and can become more concentrated, leading to increased levels in food and feed products, posing economic and health risks due to their persistence and toxicity.

Innovation Solution

Contacting feedstocks or process streams in grain processing facilities with specific enzymes such as aflatoxin oxidase, deoxynivalenol hydroxylase, and xylanase, either from microorganisms or their lysates, to mitigate mycotoxin contamination during processing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If grain processing is performed to produce food and feed products, then productivity and economic value are improved, but mycotoxin concentration increases leading to safety issues

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefood and feed product productionVSAvoidmycotoxin concentration

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The enzyme treatment is applied during the grain processing workflow to proactively degrade mycotoxins before they can concentrate to harmful levels in the final products. This preliminary degradation action prevents the worsening of mycotoxin concentration while maintaining productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the harmful mycotoxins into beneficial degraded products through enzymatic action. The enzymes transform toxic compounds into safer substances, turning the harmful presence of mycotoxins into an opportunity for detoxification while the processing continues

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Ease of manufacture

If conventional processing methods are used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but mycotoxins become more concentrated requiring additional treatment steps

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing simplicityVSAvoidmycotoxin levels

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The enzymatic mycotoxin degradation is merged with the existing grain processing workflow. The enzyme treatment is integrated into the processing stream, combining the detoxification function with the production process rather than requiring completely separate treatment steps

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The enzyme preparation serves multiple functions: it degrades various types of mycotoxins (aflatoxins, ochratoxin, trichothecenes, zearalenone) while allowing the grain processing to continue. This multi-functional approach addresses mycotoxin contamination across different grain types and processing conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Significantly reduces mycotoxin levels in final food and feed products, ensuring safer consumption and reducing economic losses by maintaining product quality and consistency.

Implementation Method 1

contacting a feedstock or process stream of a dry mill or wet mill grain processing facility with an enzyme selected from the group consisting of aflatoxin oxidase, 3-O acetyltransferase, peroxidase, F420H2-dependent reductases, Ery4, UDP-glycosyltransferase, laccase, manganese peroxidase, deoxynivalenol hydroxylase, lactono hydrolase, Zearalenone hydrolase, xylanase, DepA/DepB, and 2cys-peroxiredoxin

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEnzymatic degradation: Enzyme

Data Source

PatentUS11781096B2Enzymatic degradation of mycotoxins during grain processing

Publication Date: 2023.10.10 POET RESEARCH INC

AI summary

Methods, compositions, and systems for steeping, propagation and fermentation, particularly large-scale operations for production of starch and ethanol and fermentation product streams are provided. Addition of mycotoxin mitigating enzymes or microorganisms expressing mycotoxin mitigating enzymes to steeping, propagation, and/or fermentation tanks, and/or to post-fermentation product streams, mitigates mycotoxin levels in fermentation co-products obtained from mycotoxin contaminated feedstocks.