Identification and detoxification of AFB1 transformation product in the peanut oil refining process

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) contamination in peanut oil is a serious food safety concern. Classical edible oil refining process is an effective approach to remove AFB1. However, the transformation pathway, structure, and distribution of the transformation product of AFB1 in edible oil refining have not yet been reported in detail. In this work, we demonstrated that the degumming and deacidification were the critical phases for AFB1 removal from crude oil, in which 4.77% and 7.32% of AFB1 were transferred into the colloidal impurities and soap stock, and 87.91% of AFB1 was transformed to other compound. UPLC-Q-TOF MS and NMR analysis revealed that the AFB1 transformation product in peanut oil refining resulted from the hydrolysis of the lactone ring of AFB1. The lactone ring opened AFB1 (named OP-AFB1) in the soap stock can be converted into the original AFB1 under acidic conditions. Thus, the OP-AFB1 in soap stock was further detoxified via the Fenton treatment.