Evaluating the Impact of Lactobacillus acidophilus on Fusarium Mycotoxins in Raw Vegan Pumpkin-Sunflower Seed Flour Blends

Abstract

A blend with pumpkin and sunflower seed flours was prepared and dried at 41.5 degrees C for 5 h to create a minimally heat-treated blend for a raw food diet. The blend was inoculated with Lactobacillus acidophilus and Fusarium langsethiae to assess the effect of L. acidophilus on Fusarium growth and mycotoxin production. Drying did not affect the content of naturally occurring microorganisms but significantly reduced water activity (p < 0.05) and increased total phenolic content in samples with external microorganisms. Lactobacilli content remained unchanged after drying (4.8 log CFU/g), while F. langsethiae increased by 1.5 log CFU/g. Principal component analysis showed PC1 explained 95.1% of total variance, driven by Fusarium mycotoxin production. A significant difference in total mycotoxin was found between samples with F. langsethiae alone and those with both F. langsethiae and L. acidophilus (p < 0.05). Lactic acid bacteria could reduce fusarium mycotoxin risk in raw food diet mixtures.