2.2.6. Extrusion

Mycotoxin reduction could result from food processing operations, such as extrusion, which can simultaneously improve product quality and increase food safety levels by reducing toxins [103]. Conventional cooking treatments (conducted at temperatures below 100 ◦C) cannot participate in the mitigation of mycotoxins in food products because most of these toxins are heat stable. Alternative cooking treatments, such as extrusion, are performed at higher temperatures and show efficiency in reducing mycotoxin contamination [68].

A study conducted by Massarolo et al. used a single-screw extruder at 50 ng g−<sup>1</sup> to reduce aflatoxins on spiked cornmeal samples. The reduction rates of all aflatoxins were higher in the samples after the addition of high amylose corn starch, reaching 89.9% for AFB1 and AFG2, 88.6% for AFB2, and 75% for AFG1. Extrusion may cause possible interactions of the toxins with food components, decreasing their bio-accessibility. Their availability in the small intestine increased significantly after digestion [90]. Another study was conducted by Jani´c Hajnal et al., and focused on the effect of co-rotating twin-screw extruder on other mycotoxins (DON, 3- and 15-AcDON, HT-2, TEN, and AME) in whole grain triticale flour. The optimal reduction rate of all studied mycotoxins was achieved at a screw speed of 650 rpm with a feed rate of 30 kg/h and moisture content of 20 g/100 g. A higher reduction rate was found in AME, while the lowest rate was detected for DON [89].
