Structure Elucidation and Toxicity Analyses of the Degradation Products of Aflatoxin B1 and Zearalenone by Trichoderma reesei GG-T40

Mycotoxin contamination in agricultural products poses a serious challenge to food safety, severely threatening human and animal health and causing significant economic losses. This study aimed to investigate the degradation and detoxification capabilities of Trichoderma reesei GG-T40 against two representative mycotoxins—aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and zearalenone (ZEN). The results showed that the degradation rates of AFB1 and ZEN by this strain reached 98.6% and 88.4%, respectively. Using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF MS), the degradation products were systematically characterized, leading to the identification of six AFB1 degradation products (C17H14O7, AFD1: C16H14O5, C11H10O4, C14H16O4, C15H10O4, and C17H14O5) and two ZEN degradation products (α-ZOL and β-ZOL). Toxicity evaluation revealed that the key toxic structures of AFB1 were disrupted, significantly reducing or even eliminating the toxicity of its degradation products; ZEN was mainly converted into β-ZOL (accounting for 91.5%), which has lower estrogenic activity. Further toxicological experiments in mice confirmed that the degradation products were non-toxic and non-pathogenic under actual testing conditions, demonstrating systematic verification of their safety. In conclusion, T. reesei GG-T40 can efficiently and safely degrade AFB1 and ZEN, showing great potential for developing green control technologies for mycotoxin contamination in food and feed raw materials, with important application value for ensuring food safety.