Enhancement of agri-food by-products: green extractions of bioactive molecules with fungicidal action against mycotoxigenic fungi and their mycotoxins

What if the secret to fighting toxic fungi lies in the leftovers of your dinner plate? Scientists have turned food waste into a powerful weapon against mycotoxins.

The battle against mycotoxins—toxic compounds produced by fungi that contaminate crops—has a new ally: food waste. Researchers collected by-products from the agri-food chain, including grape marc, leaves, seeds, stalks, pear, apple, green beans, tomato, and spent hops. Using green extraction methods like steam distillation and ultrasound-assisted extraction, they obtained polyphenol- and terpene-rich extracts.

These extracts were tested against major mycotoxigenic fungi. Pear extract reduced Aspergillus flavus and A. carbonarius by 45–47%, while grape marc achieved 21–51% inhibition. Fusarium graminearum was suppressed by grape stalk, pear, and grape marc extracts (average 24%). However, F. verticillioides showed resistance, with only pear extract having a modest effect (18%).

The extracts also reduced mycotoxin levels significantly: ochratoxin A (2–57%), aflatoxin B1 (5–75%), deoxynivalenol (14–72%), fumonisins (11–94%), zearalenone (17–100%), and Alternaria toxins (7–96%). These results highlight the potential of agri-food by-products as biofungicides, offering a sustainable alternative to chemical fungicides.

This research turns waste into value, providing a green solution to a global food safety challenge. The next step? Scaling up these extracts for real-world agricultural use.

Key Points

• Green extracts from food waste fight mycotoxigenic fungi
• Pear and grape marc inhibit Aspergillus species by up to 51%
• Mycotoxin reduction ranges from 2% to 100%