*Article* **Efficacy of Potentially Probiotic Fruit-Derived** *Lactobacillus fermentum***,** *L. paracasei* **and** *L. plantarum* **to Remove Aflatoxin M1 In Vitro**

**Paloma Oliveira da Cruz 1,, Clarisse Jales de Matos 1,, Yuri Mangueira Nascimento 2,, Josean Fechine Tavares 2,, Evandro Leite de Souza 3,\* and Hemerson Iury Ferreira Magalhães 1**



**Abstract:** This study evaluated the efficacy of potentially probiotic fruit-derived *Lactobacillus* isolates, namely, *L. paracasei* 108, *L. plantarum* 49, and *L. fermentum* 111, to remove aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) from a phosphate buffer solution (PBS; spiked with 0.15 μg/mL AFM1). The efficacy of examined isolates (approximately 10<sup>9</sup> cfu/mL) as viable and non-viable cells (heat-killed; 100 ◦C, 1 h) to remove AFM1 was measured after 1 and 24 h at 37 ◦C. The recovery of AFM1 bound to bacterial cells after washing with PBS was also evaluated. Levels of AFM1 in PBS were measured with high-performance liquid chromatography. Viable and non-viable cells of all examined isolates were capable of removing AFM1 in PBS with removal percentage values in the range of 73.9–80.0% and 72.9–78.7%, respectively. Viable and non-viable cells of all examined *Lactobacillus* isolates had similar abilities to remove AFM1. Only *L. paracasei* 108 showed higher values of AFM1 removal after 24 h for both viable and non-viable cells. Percentage values of recovered AFM1 from viable and non-viable cells after washing were in the range of 13.4–60.6% and 10.9–47.9%, respectively. *L. plantarum* 49 showed the highest AFM1 retention capacity after washing. *L. paracasei* 108, *L. plantarum* 49, and *L. fermentum* 111 could have potential application to reduce AFM1 to safe levels in foods and feeds. The cell viability of examined isolates was not a pre-requisite for their capacity to remove and retain AFM1.

**Keywords:** aflatoxin M1; detoxification; *Lactobacillus*; probiotics; binding

**Key Contribution:** Viable and non-viable cells of all examined *Lactobacillus* isolates removed AFM1; viable and heat-killed cells had a similar AFM1 removal capability; AFM1 retention efficacy of test isolates increased when contact time increased.
