Research Publications (Food Safety)

Author(s): So-Young Choi, Tae Hyun Kim, Min-Wook Hong, Tae Sub Park, Hyojeong Lee, Sung-Jin Lee

Freshly harvested Bambara groundnut seed obtained from rural framers in the Ehlanzeni District Municipality of the Mpumalanga province, South Africa does not have detectable levels of mycotoxins. Freshly harvested Bambara groundnut seed were naturally contaminated with mycotoxin producing isolates from the genera Aspergillus and Fusarium. Abstract Freshly harvested Bambara groundnut (BGN) is occasionally consumed raw and can potentially become infected with mycotoxingenic field fungi.

Author(s): F.N. Ahmad, R. Jamaluddin, N. Mohd Esa

Pigs are highly susceptible to mycotoxins. This study investigated the effects of a postbiotic yeast cell wall-based blend (PYCW; Nicholasville, KY, USA) on growth and health of newly-weaned pigs under dietary challenge of multiple mycotoxins. Forty-eight newly-weaned pigs (21 d old) were individually allotted to four dietary treatments, based on a three phase-feeding, in a randomized complete block design (sex; initial BW) with two factors for 36 d.

Antifungal effects of smoldering plants are studied in vitro and pistachio nuts. The smoke of the cinnamon plant had an in vitro fungicidal effect in the PDA medium. No aflatoxin was observed in pistachios treated by cinnamon bark smoke. A reliable method is introduced for pistachio farmers to provide safe products. Abstract Aflatoxin (AF) contamination of the Iranian exporting pistachio has become a major problem in the last decades.

by Xianbin Cheng, Ruben A. Chavez, Matthew J. Stasiewicz

Author(s): Ming-Hsun Shen, Rakesh K. Singh

Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in milk is a problem of great concern. Current methods of detection require large instruments and need specific test sites. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a fast, convenient, and accurate detection method for AFM1. We established a system based on fluorescent microspheres containing a Eu3+ chelate named AFM1-POCT. These components comprised the AFM1-POCT kits.

Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) is a mycotoxin from Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus, classified as carcinogenic and hepatotoxic. The objective of the present investigation was to determine its presence in raw milk from north-central Ecuador, constituted by the provinces of Pichincha, Manabí, and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas. These areas represent approximately 30% of Ecuadorian milk production.

Author(s): M. Masiello, S. Somma, M. Haidukowski, A.F. Logrieco, A. Moretti

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by fungi. These contaminate dried seafoods during processing and storage and represent a potential health hazard for consumers. A sensitive, selective and accurate liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was established for simultaneous quantification of four common mycotoxins (aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), T-2 toxin (T-2), ochratoxin A (OTA) and deoxynivalenol (DON)) in dried shrimp, dried fish and dried mussel products.

Author(s): Gayoung Kim, Sung-Eun Lee

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a known toxic human carcinogen and can be detoxified by laccases, which are multicopper oxidases that convert several environmental pollutants and toxins. In this study, a new laccase that could catalyze AFB1 degradation was purified and identified from the white-rot fungus Cerrena unicolor 6884.

Draft genomes of 16 isolates of Aspergillus flavus Link and Aspergillus parasiticus Speare, identified as the predominant genotypes colonizing peanuts in four farming regions in Ethiopia, are reported. These data will allow mining for sequences that could be targeted by RNA interference to prevent aflatoxin accumulation in peanut seeds.

Blanching of almonds was examined for reducing aflatoxin content of contaminated nuts.  Almonds with intact pellicles were spiked with aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ) and blanched at 85°C.  Following blanching, almond kernels and pellicles contained 20% and 19% of spiked AFB 1 , respectively.  Blanching water contained an additional 41% of spiked AFB 1 .  In a separate study, post-blanching water was spiked with AFB 1­ and used for subsequent blanching of uncontaminated almonds.&nb

Blueberry (BB) and cherry pomace were investigated as new biosorbents for aflatoxins (AFs) sequestration from buffered solutions, gastrointestinal fluids and model wine. Among the tested biosorbents, BB exhibited the maximum adsorption performance for AFs and hence was further selected for the optimization of experimental parameters like pH, dosage, time and initial concentration of AFs.

Aim:Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is hepatotoxic. Numerous studies have shown that mitochondria play an essential role in AFB1-induced steatosis. However, the mechanisms of AFB1-induced steatosis via mitochondria are still obscure.

Author(s): Jose M. Soriano, Ana Rubini, María Morales-Suarez, Juan F. Merino-Torres, Dolores Silvestre

A multi-mycotoxin chromatographic method was developed and validated for the simultaneous quantitation of aflatoxins (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2), ochratoxin A (OTA), zearalenone (ZON), deoxynivalenol (DON), nivalenol (NIV), diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS), fumonisins (FB1, FB2 and FB3), T-2 toxin (T-2) and HT-2 toxin (HT-2) in feed.

The mutagenic patterns of A. flavus, A. parasiticus and A. fumigatus extracts were evaluated. These strains of toxigenic Aspergillus were collected from the agricultural environment. The Ames test was performed on Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98, TA100 and TA102, without and with S9mix (exogenous metabolic activation system).

Fungal metabolites including regulated mycotoxins were identified by a validated LC-MS/MS method in 180 individual Turkish dried figs from 2017 and 2018 harvests. Hand-selected dried figs were subjectively classified based on the extent of fluorescence. Forty-three fungal metabolites including eight EU-regulated mycotoxins were identified and quantified. Figs classified as being uncontaminated mostly did not contain aflatoxins above 1 μg/kg.

In this study, melon (n = 60) and sesame (n = 60) seeds purchased from markets within Benue and Nasarawa states, respectively, in Nigeria, during two seasons (dry and wet), were analysed for fungal and mycotoxin contamination in order to determine the safety of these foods for human consumption.

This study aimed to evaluate the aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) adsorption capacity of the seaweed Lithothamnium calcareum in vitro and to prevent aflatoxicosis in broiler chickens. In vitro adsorption assays were performed at a single AFB1 concentration (1 μg/mL) and four seaweed concentrations (0.50, 1, 1.5 and 2 mg/mL) at pH 3 and pH 6. The maximum adsorption was obtained at the lowest seaweed content (0.62 and 0.78 μg/mg).

In this study, the application of ozonation, ultraviolet radiation, and pulsed electric field techniques on the elimination of total Aflatoxins (AF) and AFM1 in probiotic milk (Acidophilus milk) has been investigated. A central composite response surface analysis was performed to determine the effects of these methods on the reduction of total AF and AFM1 and also, the viability of bacteria using Design‐Expert software.

Wheat may be infected by the aflatoxigenic mold Aspergillus flavus during pre- and post-harvest activities. Control strategies reported to manage aflatoxin contamination of wheat are expensive and require extensive testing to verify the absence of toxic secondary metabolites or newly formed compounds. The objective of this study was to develop an in vitro new control strategy based on assessing the influence of wheat husks on aflatoxin production by A. flavus in liquid culture.