Patulin degradation and cytotoxicity evaluation of UV irradiated apple juice using human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Patulin, a mycotoxin produced by several genera of fungi, is an important concern in apple‐based products due to its toxicity and health consequences. Ultraviolet (UV‐C) irradiation is a method of disinfection that is effective against many microorganisms and is also applied for chemical contaminant treatment via direct photolysis and advanced oxidation with sensitizers such as hydrogen peroxide. The present study evaluates whether UV‐C could be an effective method to destroy patulin in apple juice. UV‐C irradiation experiments were conducted using a collimated beam system operating at 253.7 nm. It was observed that patulin was not destroyed in pure water, but was degraded in pure and diluted apple juice upon UV‐C irradiation, suggesting that chromophores (such as riboflavin) in the juice were important factors in the photo degradation. From an initial patulin concentration of approximately 200 ppb, UV‐C dose of 400 mJ/cm2 successfully reduced patulin concentration by 69.47 (±0.69) % (p