Mycotoxins, toxic fungal secondary metabolites, exhibit a diverse array of toxicological effects, including hepatotoxicity, carcinogenicity, estrogenicity, immunotoxicity, and neurotoxicity. These toxins cause severe contamination in food, feed, and traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), threatening global food security and imposing substantial economic burdens. Among over 400 distinct mycotoxins identified to date, aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), ochratoxin A (OTA), and zearalenone (ZEN) stand out for their pervasive contamination and grave toxicities. Upon absorption, these toxins undergo biotransformation into reactive metabolites that exert multifaceted toxicities via mechanisms such as carcinogenesis, estrogenic effects, oxidative stress, inflammation, and abnormal apoptosis, collectively threatening human and livestock health. The application of natural and engineered enterosorbents suppresses intestinal absorption and subsequent bioactivation of mycotoxins, while dietary small-molecule bioactive compounds neutralize post-absorption toxicity via biotransformation intervention and cytoprotective reinforcement, collectively preventing the onset and progression of related diseases. This paper reviews the biosynthetic routes of three representative mycotoxins (AFB1, OTA, and ZEN), along with their biotransformation and underlying pathogenic mechanisms. Furthermore, nutritional intervention approaches targeting the underlying mechanisms to ameliorate mycotoxin-induced damage are discussed. This review not only provides valuable insights for future research on mycotoxin toxicity, but also establishes a theoretical foundation for utilizing dietary strategies to counteract mycotoxin-induced physical damage.

Aptamer-based biosensors have emerged as an important and promising technology for applications in food safety, environmental monitoring, and pharmaceutical analysis. Obtained via Systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) screening, these recognition elements exhibit antibody-comparable affinity and specificity, alongside superior chemical stability, easy synthesis, and broad target adaptability. Substantial advances in the field have been marked by the systematic development of food contaminant-specific aptamers, elucidation of their binding mechanisms, and construction of versatile biosensing platforms. The integration of these aptamers with conventional electrochemical and optical sensors has substantially enhanced detection sensitivity and lowered detection limits, particularly for trace-level analytes in complex food matrices. Furthermore, the integration of aptamer technology with novel nanomaterials has facilitated the development of high-performance detection platforms for a wide range of food contaminants, including heavy metals, antibiotics, foodborne pathogens, mycotoxins, pesticides, and food additives. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in SELEX techniques for aptamer screening, highlights the application of aptamer-based biosensors in detecting these contaminants, and discusses current challenges and future prospects in the field of food safety, which establishes a comprehensive framework to advance aptamer-based biosensing technologies for rapid detection and early warning in food safety monitoring.

To ensure food safety and quality, sensitive and accurate methods for rapidly detecting mycotoxins have become imperative. Zeranols (ZERs) are a class of mycotoxins commonly found in cereals, posing serious health risks, including hormonal disruption and carcinogenic potential. In response to this pressing concern, we have developed a simple yet highly sensitive and high-throughput supramolecular sensing approach based on novel macrocycles known as extended biphen[n]arenes for monitoring ZERs in cereal matrices. The proposed approach utilizes the indicator displacement assay (IDA) and employs quaternary ammonium-functionalized terphen[3]arene (CTP3) as the host molecule for capturing ZERs. This method achieves a highly sensitive response, owing to the robust synergistic interactions between CTP3 and ZERs, ensuring the reliable detection of these harmful compounds. Significantly, not only does the established approach provide an alternative strategy for inspecting high-risk grains contaminated by ZERs, but it also demonstrates novel applications of biphen[n]arenes for mycotoxin detection.