Research Publications (Food Safety)

Publication date: September 2015
Food and Chemical Toxicology, Volume 83
Author(s): Juan M. Quiles , Lara Manyes , Fernando Luciano , Jordi Mañes , Giuseppe Meca

This study explores the efficacy of essential oil componentsviz. Z-citral, E-citral, methyl cinnamate and fenchone individually and in combination (1:1:1:1), against food contaminating molds, aflatoxin B1 production and as antioxidant.

Contamination of foods with mycotoxins represents an important limit to the income of farmers and a major public health concern especially in tropical countries. Cassava represents an important part of the diet of many people in this part of the word and the most important smallholder crop in Africa. Fungal contamination of cassava products can occur at pre-harvest level or after, during processing, according to the conditions (moisture, temperature, competition with other microorganisms).

Publication date: Available online 5 June 2015
Food and Chemical Toxicology
Author(s): J. Zhang , N. Zheng , J. Liu , F.D. Li , S.L. Li , J.Q. Wang

Aflatoxins are a group of naturally-occurring carcinogens that are known to contaminate different human and animal foodstuffs. Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is the most genotoxic hepatocarcinogenic compound of all of the aflatoxins. In this report, we explore the capacity of β-D-glucan (Glu) to reduce the DNA damage induced by AFB1 in mouse hepatocytes.

Visenuo Aiko, Edamana Prasad, Alka Mehta A degradation study of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) was carried out using a combination of physical and chemical methods. AFB1 was heated at 80 °C in the presence of acetic, citric and lactic acids for various time periods. The cytotoxicity of the degraded AFB1 and its products were determined by MTT assay.

Publication date: October 2015
, Volume 51
Author(s): Laila Aldars-García , Antonio J. Ramos , Vicente Sanchis , Sonia Marín

Publication date: Available online 4 June 2015

Author(s): Jeffrey W. Cary , Valdet Uka , Zheng Han , Dieter Buyst , Pamela Y. Harris-Coward , Kenneth C. Ehrlich , Qijian Wei , Deepak Bhatnagar , Patrick F. Dowd , Stacey L. Martens , Ana M. Calvo , José C. Martins , Lynn Vanhaecke , Tom Coenye , Sarah De Saeger , José Diana Di Mavungu

Ok, Hyun Ee et al.

This study investigated the effects of necrotic enteritis challenge or a necrotic enteritis challenge with an additional challenge from dietary aflatoxin B1 compared to broilers that were unchallenged. Also tested were products designed to help alleviate those effects. Lesion scores were higher in broilers challenged to induce necrotic enteritis, but this did not increase with added aflatoxin.

Publication date: 17 August 2015
, Volume 207
Author(s): Sara H. Ahlberg , Vesa Joutsjoki , Hannu J. Korhonen

Publication date: August 2015
, Volume 74
Author(s): M. Georgiadou , Chr. Gardeli , M. Komaitis , D.I. Tsitsigiannis , E.J. Paplomatas , K. Sotirakoglou , S. Yanniotis

Yichen Hu, Weijun Kong, Hongli Luo, Lianhua Zhao, Meihua Yang Although increasing attention has been paid to the health threat caused by mycotoxins in commodities such as food or medicines, mycotoxin transfer processes from crude material to products have raised little concern so far. Radix Astragali is a commonly used edible and medicinal herbal plant that is susceptible to contamination with aflatoxins from Aspergillus flavus.

The study explores antifungal, anti-aflatoxigenic and antioxidant efficacy of Rosmarinus officinalis essential oil (ROEO) and its major compounds. In addition, the mode of action of ROEO and its practical efficacy as preservative have been assessed. GC-MS analysis of ROEO identified 16 compounds; α-pinene, 1,8-cineole and camphor being the major compounds.

Abstract

Publication date: June 2015
, Volume 72
Author(s): Ana García-Moraleja , Guillermina Font , Jordi Mañes , Emilia Ferrer

This study aimed to determine the aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) binding capacity of a beer fermentation residue (BFR) containing Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells, and the efficacy of BFR to ameliorate the toxic effects of AFB1 on performance, serum biochemistry, and histology of broilers. The BFR was collected from a microbrewery, and the yeast cells were counted, dried, and milled before it was used in the study.

The worldwide occurrence of aflatoxins (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2), genotoxic mycotoxins, in raw maize, rice, sorghum and wheat samples collected since the year 2000 was evaluated using published data and occurrence data from the GEMS/Food database (https://extranet.who.int/gemsfood). Dietary risk assessments were conducted using GEMS/Food total aflatoxin occurrence and food consumption data obtained from the 17 Cluster Diets.

Publication date: October 2015
, Volume 56
Author(s): Jeremy R. Schwartzbord , Dan L. Brown

Publication date: October 2015
, Volume 56
Author(s): Igor Tomašević , Jelena Petrović , Milica Jovetić , Smiljana Raičević , Milica Milojević , Jelena Miočinović

Publication date: February 2015
Food and Chemical Toxicology, Volume 76
Author(s): Paola Costanzo , Antonello Santini , Luigi Fattore , Ettore Novellino , Alberto Ritieni

Since the discovery of aflatoxins in the 1960s, much research has focused on detecting the toxins in contaminated food and feedstuffs in the interest of public safety. Most traditional detection methods involved lengthy culturing and/or separation techniques or analytical instrumentation and complex, multistep procedures that required destruction of samples for accurate toxin determination.

Foreword: aflatoxins in maize and other crops

This review highlights developments in the determination of mycotoxins over a period between mid-2013 and mid-2014. It continues in the format of the previous articles of this series, emphasising on analytical methods to determine aflatoxins, Alternaria toxins, ergot alkaloids, fumonisins, ochratoxins, patulin, trichothecenes and zearalenone.

Publication date: February 2015
Food and Chemical Toxicology, Volume 76
Author(s): Yuan-Zhen Wu , Fu-Pu Lu , Hai-Lan Jian , Cui-Ping Tan , Dong-Sheng Yao , Chun-Fang Xie , Da-Ling Liu