Multifunctional poly(ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol)-based membranes for selective patulin removal

Abstract

Many food commodities are prone to fungal infection and to mycotoxin contamination. Fungi can infect crops in the field and maintain their activity during storage. Some of these fungi produce mycotoxins, that may resist food processing and persist in food products. Existing decontamination strategies are still very inefficient, and that is why research in this area is continuously evolving. Recent advances in the study and use of nanoscale materials allow the development of novel electrospun nanofibrous affinity membranes with tailored and stable selectivities, combining high separation performance and capacity to remove selected food contaminants from fluid food commodities, involving simple filtration steps and avoiding loss of nutritive and/or organoleptic attributes. As proof of concept, novel membranes were evaluated for the selective removal of patulin from juices. Patulin is a mycotoxin produced by several fungi, being Penicillium expansum one of the most common causes of patulin contamination in apples, cherries, pears and other fruits. Besides some acute symptoms caused in humans such as gastritis and nausea, patulin also has diverse toxic effects, including neurotoxicity, immunosuppression and genotoxicity. Major issues for food safety are related to the occurrence of patulin in unfermented apple juice and apple-derived baby foods. Many countries, including the European Union, have established maximum tolerable levels of patulin contamination for fruit-derived products. Novel nano-/microfibrous membranes with a poly(ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) backbone as a support to other bioactive polymers, cell components or whole cells were prepared. These membranes were tested for their mechanical and physical properties, and for their behaviour regarding patulin adsorption. The most common adsorption models were adjusted to the experimental data for the chemical characterization of membranes behaviour. The future application of these membranes for the selective removal of patulin from juices is discussed.