Fuente: Microorganisms - Revista científica (MDPI) Microorganisms, Vol. 13, Pages 2847: Exploring Novel Fungal Bioremediation Treatments to Inhibit Pollutants and Microbial Hazards Associated with Untreated Biological Soil Amendments of Animal Origin
Microorganisms doi: 10.3390/microorganisms13122847
Authors:
Alexis N. Omar
Anastasia E. M. Chirnside
Kalmia E. Kniel

Biological soil amendments of animal origin (BSAAOs) provide risk for foodborne contamination. Soils are often enriched with BSAAOs to increase nutrient value, enhance and support crop growth and yield. Little is known about the interactions of soil microorganisms and the potential impact on food safety. Although BSAAOs provide benefits to soil and crops, BSAAOs are a risk for contamination. Another source of risk includes adjacent land use of concentrated animal feed operations (CAFOs) and the risk of contaminated dust with pathogens such as Escherichia coli or Salmonella is becoming more of a concern. Studies have shown that crops planted adjacent to a cattle feedlot were contaminated with pathogenic E. coli O157:H7 which originated from the cattle feedlot. Further research is needed to evaluate novel bioremediation techniques to lower/prevent the risks of windborne contamination of dust and risks posed by untreated BSAAOs. One potential novel technique is the utilization of mycofiltration. The risks of pathogenic contamination of BSAAOs could be reduced by developing a cost-effective and sustainable mycofiltration practice using naturally formulated by-products from filamentous fungi. Ligninolytic white-rot fungi can degrade a wide variety of toxic or persistent environmental contaminants and degrade pollutants in the environment. Recent studies have shown that white-rot fungi can inhibit pathogenic E. coli in bioreactor systems. Exploring white-rot fungi as a biocontrol agent for on-farm mycofiltration may prove to be a cost-effective treatment and limit certain routes of contamination to the edible portion of the crop, certainly worthy of exploration in this review.