Non-thermal reduction of aflatoxin M1 in milk using a continuous venturi tube reactor and liquid-phase plasma: Parametric optimization and quality preservation
Abstract
Milk is an essential part of the human diet but is highly susceptible to aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) contamination. This heat-stable toxin cannot be eliminated by conventional thermal pasteurization. This study introduces a continuous non-thermal system combining Venturi tube hydrodynamic cavitation and liquid-phase plasma for AFM1 reduction while preserving milk quality. Using response surface methodology, parameters voltage (10–20 kV), flow rate (2–8 l/min), temperature (30–50 °C), and time (1–5 min) were optimized to maximize degradation. Results showed 52.1 ± 1.1% AFM1 reduction in spiked milk (0.2 μg/kg initial) to 0.096 ± 0.002 μg/kg in under 5 minutes. This meets Iranian standards (
Fields of Study & Subjects
Plasma Applications and Diagnostics
Microbial Inactivation Methods
Mycotoxins in Agriculture and Food
Publication details
- Journal / source
- LWT
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Volume
- 247
- Pages
- 119214–119214
- Publication date
- 3 March 2026
- Language
- EN