PROCESS FOR NEUTRALIZING THE POISONOUS METABOLISM PRODUCTS OF MOULD FUNGI

PROCEDE POUR NEUTRALISER LES METABOLITES TOXIQUES DES MOISISSURES

English Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
The present invention provides a process for
neutralizing the poisonous metabolism products of mould fungi
in substances or mixtures of substances by treating these
substances or mixtures of substances with at least one compound
selected from ethylene oxide and methyl formate, said treatment
being carried out after a moisture content of at least about 10%
has been established in the substances or mixtures of substances.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A process for neutralizing the poisonous metabolism
products of mould fingi in substances or mixtures of substances
by treating these substances or mixtures of substances with at
least one compound selected from ethylene oxide and methyl
formate, said treatment being carried out after a moisture content
of from about 10% to about 16% has been established in the
substances or mixtures of substances.
2. A process as claimed in Claim 1, wherein a gas
mixture containing approximately 40 to 60% by volume of ethylene
oxide and about 60 to 40% by volume of methyl formate is
used for the treatment.
3. A process as claimed in Claim 1, wherein a gas
or gas mixture diluted with an inert gas is used for the
treatment.
4. A process as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the
substances or mixtures of substances to be treated are introduced
into a closed container, this container is then evacuated and
the gas or gas mixture used for the treatment is introduced into
the evacuated container.
5. A process as claimed in Claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein
the gas or gas mixture is used in concentrations of from 1000
to 1500 mg/l.
6. A process as claimed in any of Claims 2, 3 or 4,
wherein the treatment with the gas or gas mixture is carried out
over a period of from 6 to 16 hours.

Description

1046831
The presentin~ention relates to a process for neutral-
izing the poisonous metabolism products of mould ~ungi in
substances or mixtures of substances by treating these substan-
ces or mixtures of substances with ethylene oxide and/or methyl
formate.
One such process is described in Gero Mayr's Inaugural
Dissertation of 12th June, 1973 entitled "An Investigation Into
The Effect Of Ethylene Oxide In Eliminating Mould Fungi And
Their Metabolism Products". According to this publication, the
poisonous metabolism products of mould fungi in peanuts or
peanut expellers, namely the mycotoxins and especially the
aflatoxins, are neutralized, i.e. rendered harmless for con-
sumption by animals or human beings, by treatment with ethylene
oxide and/or methyl formate. It has not yet been resolved what
chemical reactions are responsible for this neutralization.
The present invention relates to a further development
of this process by which the mycotoxins are more effectively
neutralized.
According to the invention, the treatment is carried
out after a moisture content of between about 10% and about 16~
has been established in the substances or mixtures of substances.
The present invention thus provides a process for
neutralizing the poisonous metabolism products of mould fungi in
substances of mixtures of substances by treating these substan- - -
ces of mixtures of substances with at least one compound
selected from ethylene oxide and methyl formate, said treatment
being carried out after a moisture content of at least about
10~ has been established in the substances or mixtures of
substances.
This moisture content may be established simply by
adding water to or by spraying water onto the substances or
mixtures of substances. Below this limit, only relatively small
amounts of mycotoxins are neutralized.
--1--

1()46831
The moisture content of the substances or mixtures
of substances to be treated is preferably kept at a maximum of
about 16%. Although, beyond this limit, the mycotoxins are
still effectively neutralized, physiologically harmful conversion
products of the gases used for the treatment, such as ethylene
glycol or ethylene chlorhydrin, can be formed to an increasing
extent.
It has also been found that, with the moisture contents
specified above, the best results are obtained when a gas mixture
containing approximately 40 to 60% by volume of ethylene oxide
and approximately 60 to 40% by volume of methyl formate is used
for the treatment.
` In many cases, it is best to use a gas mixture diluted
with an inert gas, such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide, for the
treatment.
The process according to the invention may be carried
out by introducing the substances or mixtures of substances to
be treated, which have been adjusted to, or have, the required
moisture content, into a closed container, subsequently evacuating
this container and then introducing the gas or gas mixture used
for the treatment into the evacuated container.
The gas or gas mixture is preferably used in
concentrations of from 1000 to 1500 mg/l.
The treatment time is dependent upon the type and
apparent density of the substances or mixtures of substances
to be treated, and pxeferably amounts to between 6 and 16 hours.
The following Table shows that, in the treatment of
moulded peanuts containing aflatoxin Bl by treatment for 16
hours with a gas mixture of 50% by volume of ethylene oxide
and 50% by volume of methyl formate in a concentration of 1500
mg per litre of gas-treatment volume, the aflatoxin content is
reduced to a far greater extent when the material has a moisture

104683~
content of more than 10%. In every case, this reduction in the
aflatoxin content is independent of the amount of aflatoxin ~-
originally present.
Moisture content Aflatoxin content in ppb
of material in ~ before after
treatment treatment
6 11,000 7,900
7 5,000 3,400
7 966 720
8 1,250 970
95,000 55,000
7~950 5'000
12 3,100 1,050
14 490 160
16 432 62
16 168,000 9,000
16 562 121
16 212 10
21 3,500 2,300
21 270 170
1,680 900