Research Publications (Food Safety)

The aim of this study was to characterize 27 feed additives marketed as mycotoxin binders and to screen them for their in vitro zearalenone (ZEN) adsorption. Firstly, 27 mycotoxin binders, commercially available in Belgium and The Netherlands, were selected and characterized.

Publication date: June 2015
, Volume 52
Author(s): Jelka Pleadin , Mladenka Malenica Staver , Nada Vahčić , Dragan Kovačević , Salvatore Milone , Lara Saftić , Giampiero Scortichini

Publication date: June 2015
, Volume 52
Author(s): Ruchika Chauhan , Pratima R. Solanki , Jay Singh , Irani Mukherjee , T. Basu , B.D. Malhotra

Publication date: 1 June 2015
, Volume 176
Author(s): Lili Yu , Yang Zhang , Chenyi Hu , Hui Wu , Yayun Yang , Chusen Huang , Nengqin Jia

Publication date: May 2015
, Volume 51
Author(s): Daofeng Liu , Yanmei Huang , Shuying Wang , Kun Liu , Minghui Chen , Yonghua Xiong , Wanchun Yang , Weihua Lai

Publication date: June 2015
, Volume 52
Author(s): Gabriela Castillo , Katia Spinella , Alexandra Poturnayová , Maja Šnejdárková , Lucia Mosiello , Tibor Hianik

Aim
This study evaluated the binding capacity of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) by two Enterococcus faecium strains (MF4 and GJ40) isolated from faeces from healthy dogs.

Materials and Methods
The binding assay was performed using 50 and 100 ppb of AFB1 analysing the effects of the viability, incubation time and pH on AFB1 binding. Binding stability was determined by washing three times the bacteria-AFB1 complexes with phosphate buffer saline.

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is nephrotoxic, hepatotoxic, immunotoxic, neurotoxic, reprotoxic, teratogenic, and carcinogenic (group 2B), being characterized by species and sex differences in sensitivity. Despite the fact that OTA is in some aspects a controversial topic, OTA is the most powerful renal carcinogen. The aim of this study was to make a small survey concerning OTA content in black tea, fruit tea, and ground roasted coffee, and to assess OTA transfer into beverages.

To evaluate the effects of the mycotoxins deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEA) on pigs and the benefits of two mycotoxin mitigation strategies, gilts (n = 84, 9.1 ± 0.1 kg) were allotted to four treatments: CON (control); MT (4.8 mg/kg feed DON and 0.3 mg/kg feed ZEA); MT-YC (MT + 2 g/kg of yeast cell wall product); and MT-YF (MT + 2 g/kg of yeast fermentation product). After 42 days of feeding, pigs fed MT had reduced (p < 0.05) growth performance compared with pigs fed CON.

Aspergillus flavus is a well-known ubiquitous fungus able to contaminate both in pre- and postharvest period different feed and food commodities. During their growth, these fungi can synthesise aflatoxins, secondary metabolites highly hazardous for animal and human health. The requirement of products with low impact on the environment and on human health, able to control aflatoxin production, has increased.

Zearalenone (ZEA) adsorption by a mixture of organic (yeast cell wall) and inorganic (activated charcoal) adsorbents was evaluated by an incomplete Box Behnken (33) statistical design with a quintuplicate at the central point. The variables analysed were different ratios of adsorbents (yeast cell wall and activated charcoal) at 100:0, 87.5:12.5 and 75:25, pH (3.0, 4.5 and 6.0) and ZEA concentrations (300, 750 and 1,200 ng/ml).

Aflatoxin contamination in groundnut by Aspergillus section Flavi is a major pre- and post-harvest problem causing kernel-quality loss. Post-harvest aflatoxin contamination is caused initially by infestation of aflatoxigenic strains at the pre-harvest stage, resulting in reduced kernel quality after harvest. Improper handling of pods and storage methods after harvest lead to high moisture and ambient temperatures, directly causing aflatoxin contamination.

Publication date: June 2015
, Volume 52
Author(s): Jose Ignacio Ruiz de Galarreta , Ana Butrón , Amaia Ortiz-Barredo , Rosa Ana Malvar , Amando Ordás , Arsenio Landa , Pedro Revilla

Azole fungicides have been reported to be the most effective active substances in the control of Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) and in the reduction of the main mycotoxins that occur in cereal grain, such as deoxynivalenol (DON).