Research Publications (Food Safety)

A knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) study was conducted in three districts of Malawi to test whether the training had resulted in increased knowledge and adoption of recommended pre- and post-harvest crop management practices, and their contribution to reducing aflatoxin contamination in groundnut, maize and sorghum.

Author(s): Liang Zhang, Weizhen Xu, Peng Yue, Qin Wang, Yufeng Li, Xiaofang Pei, Peibin Zeng

Reports indicate that aflatoxin contamination in almonds comprise a few highly contaminated kernels among a much larger bulk with low concentrations, hypothetically due to cross‐contamination during processing.

Among plant fungal diseases, those affecting cereals represent a huge problem in terms of food security and safety. Cereals, such as maize and wheat, are very often targets of mycotoxigenic fungi. The limited availability of chemical plant protection products and physical methods to control mycotoxigenic fungi and to reduce food and feed mycotoxin contamination fosters alternative approaches, such as the use of beneficial fungi as an active ingredient of biological control products.

Author(s): Somenath Das, Vipin Kumar Singh, Abhishek Kumar Dwivedy, Anand Kumar Chaudhari, Neha Upadhyay, Akanksha Singh, Deepika, Nawal Kishore Dubey

Modern threats of bioterrorism force the need for multiple detection of biothreat agents to determine the presence or absence of such agents in suspicious samples. Here, we present a rapid electrochemical fiveplex biochip screening assay for detection of the bioterrorism relevant low molecular weight toxins saxitoxin, microcystin-LR, T-2 toxin, roridin A and aflatoxin B1 relying on anti-idiotypic antibodies as epitope-mimicking reagents.

Author(s): Manuela Zadravec, Nada Vahčić, Dragan Brnić, Ksenija Markov, Jadranka Frece, Relja Beck, Tina Lešić, Jelka Pleadin

Mycotoxins presence was evaluated in animal feed marketed in Tunisia for the first time ever.

The study applied a targeted metabolomics approach that uses a direct injection and tandem mass spectrometry (DI–MS/MS) coupled with a liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS)-based metabolomics of plasma to evaluate the effects of supplementing clay with or without Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product (SCFP) on the metabolic status of dairy cows challenged with aflatoxin B1.

The roles of signaling pathway genes related to the aflatoxin reduction trait in maize were studied for the improvement of maize resistance to the fungal pathogen Aspergillus flavus (A. flavus). In this study, 55 maize genes in plant–pathogen interaction signaling pathways were investigated among 12 maize near-isogenic lines (NILs) that carry maize quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with aflatoxin reduction.

This study investigated the aflatoxin production potentials of selected fungi using a polyphasic approach. Internally transcribed spacer region of the fungi was amplified using the polymerase chain reaction.

Consumption of fruit juice is becoming trendy for consumers seeking freshness and high vitamin and low caloric intake. Mycotoxigenic moulds may infect fruits during crop growth, harvest, and storage leading to mycotoxin production. Many mycotoxins are resistant to food processing, which make their presence in the final juice product very likely expected.

Author(s): Tiago de Melo Nazareth, Manuel Alonso-Garrido, Oana Stanciu, Jordi Mañes, Lara Manyes, Giuseppe Meca

Aflatoxin contamination in foods is a global concern as they are carcinogenic, teratogenic and mutagenic compounds. The aflatoxin-producing fungi, mainly from the Aspergillus section Flavi, are ubiquitous in nature and readily contaminate various food commodities, thereby affecting human’s health. The incidence of aflatoxigenic Aspergillus spp.

The presence of ear rots in maize caused by Aspergillus flavus that are also associated with the production of aflatoxins has evolved into an increasing problem over the last few years. Since no commercial biological control products are still available to control A. flavus in maize in Europe, this study targets to the evaluation of six biopesticides/biostimulants (Botector®, Mycostop®, Serenade Max®, Trianum®, Vacciplant®, and zeolite) for the control of A.

A biochip chemiluminescent immunoassay was validated for multi-mycotoxins screening in maize. Screened mycotoxins were aflatoxins B1 (AFB1) and G1 (AFG1) ochratoxin A (OTA), zearalenone (ZEA), toxin T2 (T2), fumonisins (sum of FB1 and FB2) and deoxynivalenol (DON). The method included a single extraction step with acetonitrile:methanol:water (50:40:10, v/v/v).

Moldy peanuts may contain aflatoxin, a highly carcinogenic substance that threatens the health of humans and livestock. This study aimed to identify moldy peanuts using hyperspectral measurements and continuous wavelet transform (CWT). Peanuts were allowed to develop mold in a simulation of natural process of fungal infection; detailed hyperspectral images of healthy and moldy peanuts were captured.

Aflatoxins pose significant food security and public health risks, decrease productivity and profitability of animal industries, and hamper trade. To minimize aflatoxin contamination in several crops, a biocontrol technology based on atoxigenic strains of Aspergillus flavus is commercially used in the United States and some African countries. Significant efforts are underway to popularize the use of biocontrol in Africa by various means including incentives.

Author(s): M. Kashif Saleemi, Kamran Ashraf, S. Tehseen Gul, M. Noman Naseem, M. Sohail Sajid, Mashkoor Mohsin, Cheng He, Muhammad Zubair, Ahrar Khan

Atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) was investigated as an alternative to chemical and thermal treatments for reducing aflatoxin (AFT) levels on peanuts. Kernels were inoculated with Aspergillus flavus to produce AFTs. They were then treated using two APPJ treatment regimens; constant exposure (for 1 and 2 min), and pneumatically agitated exposure in a conveyored channel for up to 5 min.

Background Soybean is widely used in food formulations; however, few studies on fungal or mycotoxin contamination have been undertaken. In this regard, the free, conjugated and bound phenolic compounds, as well as their antioxidant and antifungal potential, besides the occurrence of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in soybeans were evaluated.

Contamination of animal feed with multiple mycotoxins is an ongoing and growing issue, as over 60% of cereal crops worldwide have been shown to be contaminated with mycotoxins. The present study was carried out to assess the efficacy of commercial feed additives sold with multi-mycotoxin binding claims. Ten feed additives were obtained and categorised into three groups based on their main composition.

An intercollaborative study was organized to evaluate the performance characteristics of a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry procedure for the simultaneous determination of 12 mycotoxins in food, which were ochratoxin A, aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2, and M1, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, fumonisins B1 and B2, and T-2 and HT-2 toxins.

In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), diverse fungi belonging to Aspergillus section Flavi frequently contaminate staple crops with aflatoxins. Aflatoxins negatively impact health, income, trade, food security, and development sectors. Aspergillus flavus is the most common causal agent of contamination. However, certain A. flavus genotypes do not produce aflatoxins (i.e., are atoxigenic).

There has been significant interest in the development of formulations of non-toxigenic strains of Aspergillus flavus for control of toxigenic strains to reduce the aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) contamination of maize. In the future, climate change (CC) abiotic conditions of temperature (+2–4°C), CO2 (existing levels of 400 vs. 800–1,200 ppb), and drought stress will impact on the agronomy and control of pests and diseases.