Study on the mechanism of photocatalytic degradation of patulin in simulated apple juice

Food Chem. 2023 Nov 15:426:136592. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2023.136592. Epub 2023 Jun 13.

Abstract

Patulin poses a potential risk to human health, and current methods for removing it have certain limits. Thus, the effective and secure technique for degrading patulin in juice is critical. In this study, a nitrogen-doped chitosan-TiO2 nanocomposite (N-TiO2 Nps) as a photocatalyst was employed to decompose patulin. Under the action of the photocatalyst, 500 μg/L patulin was completely degraded within 1 h in simulated juice. Quenching experiments identified superoxide and hydroxyl radicals as the dominant species responsible for patulin degradation. On the bases of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and density functional theory (DFT) calculation, the reaction sites in patulin were predicted and a possible photodegradation pathway was proposed. The findings not only elucidated a new method for removing patulin but also provided a theoretical basis for scrutinizing the degradation mechanism of mycotoxins.

Keywords: DFT calculation; Degradation mechanism; Intermediates; Patulin; Photocatalysis.

MeSH terms

  • Beverages / analysis
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / methods
  • Food Contamination / analysis
  • Fruit and Vegetable Juices / analysis
  • Humans
  • Malus* / chemistry
  • Patulin* / analysis

Substances

  • Patulin
  • titanium dioxide