The current study examined the fungal contamination and associated mycotoxins, including aflatoxins (AFLs) and ochratoxin A (OTA), in selected beef products and evaluated the detoxifying efficacy of recombinant laccase. A total of 150 samples were evaluated, including burgers, sausages, minced meat, luncheon, and hawawshi (30 of each). Yeast and mold contamination was detected in 36.0% of samples, with values ranging from 2.24 to 4.35 log10 CFU/g. The incidence of AFLs and OTA was 30.7% and 22.7%, respectively. The highest levels of contamination occurred in sausages. The average AFLs and OTA residues were 5.76–16.38ppb and 0.86–3.72ppb, respectively. A positive association between fungal numbers and mycotoxin levels was found (p<0.05). The use of recombinant laccase in the treatment caused a considerable reduction of both toxins in a dose- and time-dependent manner during refrigerated storage, with the maximum reduction at 4% enzyme concentration. AFLs were more susceptible to deterioration than OTA. These results indicate the presence of mycotoxins in beef products and suggest the possible use of recombinant laccase as a sustainable approach for mycotoxin decontamination in meat systems.

To Cite This Article: Al-Rasheed M, 2026. Recombinant laccase-mediated detoxification of aflatoxins and ochratoxin a in meat products: occurrence, correlation, and storage dynamics. Pak Vet J, 46(5): 1254-1263. http://dx.doi.org/10.29261/pakvetj/2026.112