Research Publications (Food Safety)

Previously, authors reported that individual volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by non-aflatoxigenic Aspergillus flavus could act as a mechanism of biocontrol to significantly reduce aflatoxins and cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) produced by toxigenic strains.

Microbial degradation is considered as an attractive method to eliminate exposure to aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), the most toxic mycotoxin that causes great economic losses and brings a serious threat to human and animal health, in food and feed. In this study, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens WF2020, isolated from naturally fermented pickles, could effectively degrade AFB1 ranging from 1 to 8 μg/ml, and the optimum temperature and pH value were 37–45°C and 8.0, respectively. Moreover, B.

This study investigates the reduction of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in skim milk by using ultraviolet light at 254 nm and the effects of influencing factors on the efficacy including treatment time (min), depth of samples (mm), contamination level (μg L-1), stirring, temperature, and fat content in milk. The colour and pH of milk samples were measured to evaluate the influence of the treatment on these values.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a toxin that is widely present in food and feed and poses a serious threat to the health of humans and livestock. In this work, we proposed the quantitative detection method of AFB1 contamination using a simple, sensitive, and specific colorimetric immunoassay based on gold nanoparticles labeled with glucose oxidase (GOx)/rabbit anti-mouse immunoglobulin G.

This study aimed at evaluating the incidence of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and ochratoxin A (OTA) in thyme and thyme-based products, related dietary exposure, and cancer risk for regular and high consumption. A total of 160 samples were collected, and 32 composite samples were analyzed. AFB1 and OTA were respectively found in 84% (27/32) and 38% (12/32) of the samples.

In this study, 21 pesticides and 4 aflatoxins were monitored in baby food marketed in Brazil, applying ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS).

Mycotoxins are unavoidable contaminants produced by fungi in food, especially grains. This study aimed to measure the occurrence and levels of total aflatoxins (AFs); ochratoxin A (OTA); zearalenone (ZEN); fumonisins B1, B2, and B3 (FUM); deoxynivalenol (DON); and T-2/HT-2 toxins in the four most commonly consumed breakfast cereals in Chile and to assess mycotoxin exposure and risk in children aged 2 to 13 years due to cereal consumption.

The term toxicant-associated fatty liver disease (TAFLD) has been proposed to describe fatty liver diseases connected to toxicants other than alcohol. Aflatoxins are mycotoxins commonly found as contaminants in foods and feeds, which are known liver toxicants and potential candidates as potential causes of TAFLD.

This study was aimed at simplifying the conventional aflatoxin HPLC-FLD analysis procedure for determining aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2 by utilizing the advantage of immunoaffinity column (IAC) and normal-phase chromatography. Normally, a derivatization procedure is needed to enhance the fluorescence signal of aflatoxin quenched by the reversed-phase solvent used as the HPLC mobile phase.

Yeast cell wall-based preparations have shown efficacy against Aspergillus-based toxins but have lower impact against type-B trichothecenes. Presently, we investigated a combination of deoxynivalenol (DON), T-2 toxin (T2) and zearalenone (ZEA), and the effect of a yeast cell wall extract (YCWE) and a post-biotic yeast cell wall-based blend (PYCW) with the objectives of preventing mycotoxins’ negative effects in commercial broilers.

Aflatoxin, a type of mycotoxin, is mostly produced by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. It is responsible for the loss of billions of dollars to the world economy, by contaminating different crops such as cotton, groundnut, maize, and chilies, and causing immense effects on the health of humans and animals. More than eighteen different types of aflatoxins have been reported to date, and among them, aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2 are the most prevalent and lethal.

It was desired to develop the ultrasensitive and efficient strategy for detecting ultratrace aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and protecting consumers' health. In this study, a magnetic immuno-PCR method (MIPCR) based on the barcode DNA was described and evaluated for detecting AFB1 in agricultural by-product samples.

Acute stunting in children, liver cancer, and death often occur due to human exposure to aflatoxins in food. The severity of aflatoxin contamination depends on the type of Aspergillus fungus infecting the crops. In this study, Aspergillus species were isolated from households’ staple foods and were characterized for different aflatoxin chemotypes. The non-aflatoxigenic chemotypes were evaluated for their ability to reduce aflatoxin levels produced by aflatoxigenic A.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is one of the most toxic fungal secondary metabolites associated with Aspergillus flavus contaminated food products. Although a range of synthetic chemicals has been used to control molds contamination, most of them possess a risk to the health and environment.

Contamination of food chains by toxigenic fungi and aflatoxins is a global problem that causes damage to human health, as well as to crop and livestock production. The objective is to evaluate Aspergillus flavus and total aflatoxins (AFs) occurrence in totally mixed rations (TMRs) for dairy cows and aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in milk for human consumption.

Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) is a salient metabolite that can be used to assess Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) exposure in humans and animals. The carcinogenic potency of AFB1 and AFM1 was severely reported.

It is urgent to solve the contamination of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in food and water. In this study, the mesoporous silica was prepared from rice husk, which was then magnetized using the precipitation technique, followed by amino-modification with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, forming amino-grafted magnetic mesoporous silica (NMMS).

A novel magnetic dispersive SPE (MDSPE) based on magnetic covalent organic framework (M-COF) coupled with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was developed for the determination of AFB1, AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2 in food matrices (milk, edible oil and rice). The M-COF was designed and constructed by using two novel monomers of 1,2,4,5-Tetrakis-(4-formylphenyl)benzene (TFPB) and p-Phenylenediamine (PPD) at room temperature.

Mycotoxins are harmful secondary fungal metabolites detrimental to animal health even at low levels. The study was conducted to compare mycotoxin contamination of initial samples of the 2021 corn crop with previous year trends.

Milk is a highly nutritious and perfect natural food for humans. However, when lactating animals feed on Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-containing feed, the hydroxyl metabolite aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) contaminates the milk and dairy products. The objective of the current study was to assess the level of AFM1 in raw milk, normally pasteurized milk and Ethiopian cottage cheese collected from value chain actors (producers, collectors, processors and retailers).

The major safety risk of peanuts is contamination with aflatoxin. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) has been demonstrated to inactivate fungi effectively. In this study, a novel CAP device with a rotary jet system was used to inactivate the existing A. flavus and A. niger on peanuts.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), a mycotoxin contaminating food and feed, can trigger liver immune toxicity and threaten the poultry industry. Phillygenin (PHI) is a natural lignan derived primarily from Forsythia suspensa with hepatoprotective pharmacological and medicinal properties.

The principal purpose of this study was to investigate the amount and human health risk assessment by Monte Carlo simulation for aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in milk in Kermanshah province, Iran.

Cold plasma has potential for the degradation of aflatoxins in corn and hazelnuts; however, this has not been demonstrated for aflatoxin in milk. In this study, the efficacy of high voltage atmospheric cold plasma (HVACP) on the reduction of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in skim milk improved with increasing treatment times (1-20 min), using gas containing 65% oxygen (MA65) rather than air, increasing voltage (60-80 kV) and reducing sample volume (30 mL-10 mL).

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a mycotoxin made by various fungal strains, which could be contaminated cereal-based products, such as bread and sweets widely consumed worldwide. The objective of this research was to survey the fate of AFB1 from wheat flour samples to various kinds of Iranian traditional breads and bakery products.