Background:

Biological control for cereal diseases caused by mycotoxigenic fungi is part of the alternative methods to be developed to secure food and feed production, recognizing the negative effects these fungi have on crop yield and their potential production of mycotoxins.

Objective:

Update recent knowledge about the potential of mushroom-forming fungi as biological control agents of mycotoxigenic fungi species, acting as antagonists on crop debris, as source of active extracts with antifungal and/or antimycotoxin properties and as detoxifying agents in solid-state fermentation processes of contaminated cereals.

Methods:

A literature review of the published works was carried out, the main topics were analyzed, as well as the species with the greatest potential of biological control agents of mycotoxingenic fungi.

Results and conclusions:

Mushroom forming fungi could be used as antagonists on crop debris or grains, as sources of active extracts with antifungal and/or antimycotoxin properties, and as detoxifying agents. An integration of these three potentials gives rise to an environment friendly process for production of both safe grains and edible mushrooms.

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