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Research Publications (Food Safety)

This page tracks research articles published in national and international peer-reviewed journals. Recent articles are available ahead of print and searchable by Journal, Article Title, and Category. Research publications are tracked across six categories: Bacterial Pathogens, Chemical Contaminants, Natural Toxins, Parasites, Produce Safety, and Viruses. Articles produced by USDA Grant Funding Agencies (requires login) and FDA Grant Funding Agencies (requires login) are also tracked in Scopus.

Displaying 101 - 125 of 2013

  1. Aflatoxin B1 and ochratoxin A reduction by Lactobacillus spp. during bread making

    • Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture
    • Abstract BACKGROUND Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and ochratoxin A (OTA) are among the most important mycotoxins with common presence in bread and bakery products. Biological detoxification of mould food spoilage and mycotoxin contamination by lactic acid bacteria (LABs) exhibits high potential on a cost‐effective and large scale.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  2. An immediate and antibody protected carboxyl quantum dot immunochromatographic analysis hierarchical signal amplification test strip based on biotin-streptavidin system for the detection of aflatoxin B1 in peanuts

    • Journal of Food Composition and Analysis
    • As a relatively mature detection method, the test strip can quickly and sensitively detect the target. We designed an immunochromatographic strip based on biotin-streptavidin system to protect antibody (Ab) activity and achieve signal amplification. The coupling condition of biotin (B) and antibody is relatively mild, which protects the activity of antibody.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  3. Regulated and Emerging Mycotoxins in Bulk Raw Milk: What Is the Human Risk?

    • Toxins
    • Mycotoxins are abiotic hazards whose contamination occurs at the pre- and post-harvest stages of the maize value chain, with animal exposure through contaminated feed leading to their excretion into milk. Currently, only aflatoxin M1 is regulated in milk products.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  4. Detection of aflatoxin contamination in single kernel almonds using multispectral imaging system

    • Journal of Food Composition and Analysis
    • The developed multispectral imaging system was tested in the current study for its detection accuracy of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in single kernel almonds.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  5. Aflatoxin M1 decreases the expression of genes encoding tight junction proteins and influences the intestinal epithelial integrity

    • Mycotoxin Research
    • Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) is a mycotoxin that is commonly found as a milk contaminant, and its presence in milk has been linked to cytotoxicity. The present study aimed to evaluate the acute cytotoxic effects of AFM1 on intestinal Caco-2 cells.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  6. Effects of Climate Change on Areas Suitable for Maize Cultivation and Aflatoxin Contamination in Europe

    • Toxins
    • The climate is changing in Europe: average temperatures are increasing, and so is the frequency of extreme weather events. Climate change has a severe impact on areas suitable for growing certain crops and on food safety, for example, affecting the occurrence of the aflatoxin contamination of maize.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  7. Curcumin alleviates AFB1-induced nephrotoxicity in ducks: regulating mitochondrial oxidative stress, ferritinophagy, and ferroptosis

    • Mycotoxin Research
    • Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), an extremely toxic mycotoxin that extensively contaminates feed and food worldwide, poses a major hazard to poultry and human health. Curcumin, a polyphenol derived from turmeric, has attracted great attention due to its wonderful antioxidant properties. Nevertheless, effects of curcumin on the kidneys of ducks exposed to AFB1 remain unclear.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  8. The biodiversity of Aspergillus flavus in stored rice grain leads to a decrease in the overall aflatoxin B1 production in these species

    • International Journal of Food Microbiology
    • Aspergillus flavus is a significant fungus that poses a threat to food safety by producing mycotoxins in various crops. In this study, A.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  9. Determination of mycotoxins in nuts, cereals, legumes, and coffee beans and effectiveness of a selenium‐based decontamination treatment

    • Journal of Food Safety
    • A large proportion (69%) of the imported foods tested in this study were contaminated with one or several mycotoxins, including zearalenone, deoxynivalenol, and aflatoxins. Their high levels in rice, walnuts, pistachios, peanuts, and coffee beans underscore the need for robust surveillance and quality assurance systems across the food supply chains, from production to retail, to effectively protect the public from mycotoxin exposure.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  10. Occurrence of Mycotoxins in Dried Fruits Worldwide, with a Focus on Aflatoxins and Ochratoxin A: A Review

    • Toxins
    • Dried fruits are popular and nutritious snacks consumed worldwide due to their long shelf life and concentrated nutrient content. However, fruits can be contaminated with various toxigenic fungal species during different stages, including cultivation, harvesting, processing, drying, and storage. Consequently, these products may contain high levels of mycotoxins. This risk is particularly pronounced in developed countries due to the impact of climate change.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  11. Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium verticillioides and Their Main Mycotoxins: Global Distribution and Scenarios of Interactions in Maize

    • Toxins
    • Maize is frequently contaminated with multiple mycotoxins, especially those produced by Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium verticillioides. As mycotoxin contamination is a critical factor that destabilizes global food safety, the current review provides an updated overview of the (co-)occurrence of A. flavus and F. verticillioides and (co-)contamination of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and fumonisin B1 (FB1) in maize. Furthermore, it summarizes their interactions in maize.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  12. Incidence of Aflatoxins and Ochratoxin A in Wheat and Corn from Albania

    • Toxins
    • In this study, aflatoxins (AFs) and ochratoxin A (OTA) were analyzed in grains, specifically wheat and corn, from Albania. To summarize, 71 wheat and 45 corn samples from different growing areas were collected. The multi-toxin analytical procedure involved sample extraction and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). The incidence of AF was 18% in the analyzed wheat and 71% in the corn samples.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  13. Vibrio gazogenes-dependent disruption of aflatoxin biosynthesis in Aspergillus flavus: the connection with endosomal uptake and hyphal morphogenesis

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • Aflatoxins, a family of fungal secondary metabolites, are toxic and carcinogenic compounds that pose an enormous threat to global food safety and agricultural sustainability. Specifically agricultural products in African, Southeast Asian and hot and humid regions of American countries suffer most damage from aflatoxin producing molds due to the ideal climate conditions promoting their growth.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Staphylococcus aureus
      • Vibrio
      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  14. Presence, Co-Occurrence, and Daily Intake Estimates of Aflatoxins and Fumonisins in Maize Consumed in Food-Insecure Regions of Western Honduras

    • Toxins
    • Foodborne mycotoxins are a significant food safety risk in developing countries. Our objective was to determine the occurrence of and exposure levels to aflatoxins (AFs) and fumonisins (FBs) in maize intended for human and animal consumption in food-insecure regions of western Honduras. Total AFs and FBs were quantified with a monoclonal antibody-based affinity spectrofluorimetric method.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  15. Co-occurrence of mycotoxins and other fungal metabolites in total mixed rations of cows from dairy farms in Punjab, Pakistan

    • Mycotoxin Research
    • After India and the USA, Pakistan is the third country leading in global dairy production, a sector of very high socioeconomic relevance in Asia. Mycotoxins can affect animal health, reproduction and productivity. This study analysed a broad range of co-occurring mycotoxins and fungal secondary metabolites derived from Alternaria, Aspergillus, Fusarium, Penicillium and other fungal species.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  16. Research Note: Effects of feeding corn naturally contaminated with aflatoxin B1, deoxynivalenol, and zearalenone on reproductive performance of broiler breeders and growth performance of their progeny chicks

    • Poultry Science
    • To evaluate the toxic effects of mycotoxin-contaminated corn (MC) on the breeders and their progeny chicks, a total of 480 fifty-wk-old Cobb broiler breeder hens were fed the following dies: 1) a corn-soybean meal diet (Control; containing 70.35% corn), 2) MC substituting for 5

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  17. Optimizing the degradation of aflatoxin B1 in corn by Trametes versicolor and improving the nutritional composition of corn

    • Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture
    • Abstract Background Corn, being an important grain, is prone to contamination by aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), and AFB1‐contaminated corn severely endangers the health of humans and livestock. Trametes versicolor, a fungus that can grow in corn, possesses the ability to directly degrade AFB1 through its laccase. This study aimed to optimize the fermentation conditions for T. versicolor to degrade AFB1 in corn and investigate the effect of T.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  18. Gradient boosting machine learning model to predict aflatoxins in Iowa corn

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • Introduction Aflatoxin (AFL), a secondary metabolite produced from filamentous fungi, contaminates corn, posing significant health and safety hazards for humans and livestock through toxigenic and carcinogenic effects. Corn is widely used as an essential commodity for food, feed, fuel, and export markets; therefore, AFL mitigation is necessary to ensure food and feed safety within the United States (US) and elsewhere in the world.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  19. Aflatoxins posing threat to food safety and security in Pakistan: Call for a one health approach

    • Food and Chemical Toxicology
    • Aflatoxins are among the most important mycotoxins due to their widespread occurrence and adverse impacts on humans and animals. These toxins and/or their metabolites cannot be destroyed with cooking or boiling methods. Therefore, consumption of aflatoxin-contaminated food may lead to impaired growth, compromised immunity, stomach and liver cancer, and acute toxicity. These adverse effects along with food wastage might have detrimental consequences on a country's economy.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  20. The Occurrence and Health Risk Assessment of Aflatoxin M1 in Raw Cow Milk Collected from Tunisia during a Hot Lactating Season

    • Toxins
    • Milk is a staple food that is essential for human nutrition because of its high nutrient content and health benefits. However, it is susceptible to being contaminated by Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1), which is a toxic metabolite of Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) presented in cow feeds. This research investigated AFM1 in Tunisian raw cow milk samples. A total of 122 samples were collected at random from two different regions in 2022 (Beja and Mahdia).

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  21. Aluminosilicates as a Double-Edged Sword: Adsorption of Aflatoxin B1 and Sequestration of Essential Trace Minerals in an In Vitro Gastrointestinal Poultry Model

    • Toxins
    • Aflatoxins can cause intoxication and poisoning in animals and humans. Among these molecules, aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is the most dangerous because of its carcinogenic and mutagenic properties. To mitigate these effects, clay adsorbents are commonly included in the diet of animals to adsorb the carcinogens and prevent their absorption in the gastrointestinal tract.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  22. Endocrine Effect of Some Mycotoxins on Humans: A Clinical Review of the Ways to Mitigate the Action of Mycotoxins

    • Toxins
    • Fungi such as Aspergillus spp. and Fusarium spp., which are commonly found in the environment, pose a serious global health problem. This study aims to present the results of epidemiological studies, including clinical cases, on the relationship between human exposure to some mycotoxins, especially zearalenone and aflatoxin, and the occurrence of reproductive disorders. In addition, examples of methods to reduce human exposure to mycotoxins are presented.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  23. Aflatoxin B1 in poultry liver: Toxic mechanism

    • Toxicon
    • Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is the most common carcinogenic toxin in livestock and poultry feed, seriously endangering poultry production and public health. Liver is the most important organ for the metabolism of exogenous and endogenous substances in the body. AFB1 produces toxicity under the biotransformation of cytochrome P450 microparticle oxidase (CYP450). Hepatocytes are the most important cells for synthesizing CYP450 enzymes, so that AFB1 has the most significant effect on the liver.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  24. Inhibitory effects of epiphytic Kluyveromyces marxianus from Indian senna (Cassia angustifolia Vahl.) on growth and aflatoxin production of Aspergillus flavus

    • International Journal of Food Microbiology
    • Aspergillus flavus infection and subsequent aflatoxin contamination are considered the major constraints in senna (Cassia angustifolia Vahl.) export. Using native epiphytic yeast to control phytopathogens is a successful strategy for managing plant diseases. In the present investigation, we exploited the antagonistic potential of epiphytic yeast isolates obtained from senna against A. flavus growth and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) production.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  25. The Protective Effect of Pumpkin and Fermented Whey Mixture against AFB1 and OTA Immune Toxicity In Vitro. A Transcriptomic Approach

    • Molecular Nutrition & Food Research
    • Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and ochratoxin A (OTA) are immunotoxic agents that can be modulated by dietary ingredients like pumpkin (P) and fermented whey (FW). In this study, the effect of P‐FW mixture against AFB1 and OTA toxicity was evaluated in Jurkat cells through a transcriptomic approach. RNA sequencing showed the strong anti‐inflammatory role of functional ingredients against mycotoxins toxicity.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins