Research Publications (Food Safety)

Author(s): Admasu Fanta Worku, Karta Kaske Kalsa, Merkuz Abera, Mesfin Wogayehu Tenagashaw, Nigus Gabbiye Habtu

Soy sauce aroma-type baijiu-producing regions are mostly in southwest China (Guizhou and Sichuan province) with a hot and humid subtropical monsoon climate, which is conducive to the propagation of toxigenic fungi. This suggests that there is a risk of potential contamination by mycotoxins in the soy sauce aroma-type baijiu production process, which poses significant food safety risks. Few studies on the safety of mycotoxins in soy sauce aroma-type baijiu production exist.

Author(s): Xueping Chen, Muhammad Ishfaq, Jian Wang Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is one of the most toxic mycotoxins. It has been reported that dietary exposure to AFB1 is related to the low growth performance, immunosuppression and high susceptibility to infectious diseases of chickens. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the protective effects of Lactobacillus salivarius on broiler chickens challenged with AFB1.

Author(s): Kun Xie, Xi He, Guili Hu, Haihan Zhang, Yuguang Chen, De-Xing Hou, Zehe Song

Environmental Microbiology, Accepted Article. Myst family are highly conserved histone acetyltransferases in eukaryotic cells and are known to play crucial roles in various cellular processes, however, acetylation catalyzed by acetyltransferases is unclear in filamentous fungi. Here, we identified two classical nonessential Myst enzymes and analyzed their functions in Aspergillus flavus, which generates aflatoxin B1, one of the most carcinogenic secondary metabolites.

Author(s): Peifang Chen, Chenbiao Li, Xiaoyuan Ma, Zhouping Wang, Yin Zhang

Complementary foods (CFs) provided to infants and young children (IYC) in sub-Saharan Africa contain ingredients that are susceptible to aflatoxin contamination. Chronic dietary exposure to aflatoxins is associated with health consequences. This study assessed the risk of exposure of IYC (6-12-month-old) in Kongwa, Tanzania to aflatoxins through CFs. The intake of aflatoxin susceptible flours (ingredients) in CFs by 35 IYC was estimated through multiple-pass 24-hr dietary recalls.

The aim of the experiment was to investigate the efficacy of a smectite-based clay binder (Toxo-MX) in reducing the toxicological effects of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in commercial broiler chickens. A total of 450 one-day old male broiler chickens were randomly allocated into three treatment groups with ten replicates of 15 birds each in a 42-day feeding experiment.

In Serbia, aspergillus ear rot caused by the disease pathogen Aspergillus parasiticus (A. parasiticus) was first detected in 2012 under both field and storage conditions. Global climate shifts, primarily warming, favour the contamination of maize with aflatoxins in temperate climates, including Serbia. A five-year study (2012–2016) comprising of 46 A.

This study was performed to assess the effects of dietary aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) on the growth, antioxidant and immune response, digestive enzyme activities, and intestinal morphology of Lateolabrax maculatus during a 56-day feeding trial. Four diets were formulated including 0, 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 mg/kg of AFB1. Each diet was randomly assigned to 3 fish tanks with 40 fish per tank.

Journal of Food Processing and Preservation, Accepted Article. Evaluation of the suitability of surfaces for sun drying is important to prevent the AFs contamination in any produce. Proper drying can reduce the post-harvest losses. The study was conducted to determine suitable surfaces for chili drying and the relationship between physical appearance of pods and AFs content to aid management decisions during drying and storage.

Aspergillus flavus is an opportunistic fungal pathogen capable of producing aflatoxins, potent carcinogenic toxins that accumulate in maize kernels after infection. To better understand the molecular mechanisms of maize resistance to A. flavus growth and aflatoxin accumulation, we performed a high-throughput transcriptomic study in situ using maize kernels infected with A. flavus strain 3357.

Among 200 fungal strains isolated from the soil, only one culture filtrate of Aspergillus flavus JCK-4087 showed strong nematicidal activity against Meloidogyne incognita. The nematicidal metabolite isolated from the culture filtrate of JCK-4087 was identified as cyclopiazonic acid (CPA). Because JCK-4087 also produced aflatoxins, six strains of Penicillium commune, which have been reported to be CPA producers, were obtained from the bank and then tested for their CPA productivity.

Aspergillus flavus poses a threat to society economy and public health due to aflatoxin production. aflN is a gene located in the aflatoxin gene cluster, but the function of AflN is undefined in Aspergillus flavus. In this study, aflN is knocked out and overexpressed to study the function of AflN. The results indicated that the loss of AflN leads to the defect of aflatoxin biosynthesis. AflN is also found to play a role in conidiation but not hyphal growth and sclerotia development.

Journal of Food Processing and Preservation, Accepted Article. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of solvent medium such as ethanol (EtOH), 50% (v/v) propylene glycol (PG), 20% (v/v) tween 20 (TW-20), and 20% (v/v) tween 80 (TW-80), on curcumin-mediated photosensitization to inactivate Aspergillus flavus spores in vitro and on the surface of yellow and white maize kernels and flour. Results showed suppression of curcumin phototoxic activity in TW-20 and TW-80.

Author(s): Bozidar Udovicki, Slavica Stankovic, Nikola Tomic, Ilija Djekic, Nada Smigic, Bojana Spirovic Trifunovic, Dragan Milicevic, Andreja Rajkovic

Author(s): Kiomars Sharafi, Behzad Karami Matin, Abdullah Khalid Omer, Borhan Mansouri, Hamed Soleimani, Nazir Fattahi, Houshmand Sharafi, Amir Kiani

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a common toxic mycotoxin and is detectable in pregnant women. Animal studies have revealed that AFB1 caused the lysis of erythrocytes and a decrease in hemoglobin. We conducted a prospective cohort study in Guangxi, China, in order to evaluate the association between AFB1 exposure and anemia in pregnant women during the entire pregnancy. A total of 616 pregnant women from the Guangxi Zhuang Birth Cohort were included in the study.

Journal of Food Science, EarlyView. Detoxification of aflatoxin M1 from solution and milk using layered double hydroxides was investigated. The Aluminum-Magnesium layered double hydroxide (Al-Mg LDH) and Iron-Magnesium layered double hydroxide (Fe-Mg LDH) were selected in their calcined and non-calcined forms to evaluate the effect of the calcination on detoxification. These materials were produced using the co-precipitation method.

ABSTRACT The issue of food contamination by fungi and aflatoxins; constitutes a serious concern not only for human/animal health but also for agriculture and the economy. Aflatoxins are secondary metabolites produced by certain filamentous fungi and contaminate a variety of foodstuffs. In this context, control of fungal growth and aflatoxin contamination appears to be important.

The aim of this study was to identify and compare surface mycobiota of traditional and industrial Croatian dry-fermented sausage Kulen, especially toxicogenic species, and to detect contamination with mycotoxins recognized as the most important for meat products.

Aflatoxin is a carcinogenic mycotoxin produced by Aspergillus flavus. Non-aflatoxigenic (Non-tox) A. flavus isolates are deployed in corn fields as biocontrol because they substantially reduce aflatoxin contamination via direct replacement and additionally via direct contact or touch with toxigenic (Tox) isolates and secretion of inhibitory/degradative chemicals.

Aspergillus flavus is saprophytic soil fungus that contaminates seed crops with the carcinogenic secondary metabolite aflatoxin, posing a significant threat to humans and animals. Ferrous sulfate is a common iron supplement that is used to the treatment of iron-deficiency anemia. Here, we identified an unexpected inhibitory role of ferrous sulfate on A. flavus.

Author(s): Hacer Sibel Karapınar, Ali Bilgiç

ABSTRACT Essential oils can be a useful alternative to the use of synthetic fungicides because they have biological potential and are relatively safe for food and agricultural products. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the antifungal and antimycotoxigenic activities of the essential oils from Satureja montana L., Myristica fragrans H. and Cymbopogon flexuosus S.