Research Publications (Food Safety)

Significance Statement The intensity and complexity of environmental stress conditions impacting plants and crops on our planet is increasing due to global warming, climate change, and industrial/urban/agricultural pollution.

The wet procedure is one of the prominent methods to produce phosphoric acid but unfortunately, remains the undesired components such as heavy metals in the final product. The aim of this work is to employ 4A zeolite adsorbent for the adsorption of lead and arsenic from the wet-process phosphoric acid. The Taguchi methodology was used to improve the processing quality and optimize design factors.

Abstract In the frame of the European Food Risk Assessment (EU‐FORA) fellowship programme, two studies on chemical contaminants in food matrices were carried out in Warsaw, Poland, at the Department of Food Safety and Chemical Analysis, Institute of Agricultural and Food Biotechnology. The first study addressed health concerns about the dietary exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) contamination due to consumption of soft drink by Polish population.

By the end of 2021, the pear yield in Xinjiang reached 1,795,900 tons, accounting for 1/9 of the country. Pear black spot, caused by Alternaria gaisen disease, has had a significant impact on the pear industry. A. gaisen can infect nearly all pear plants, resulting in black spots on the fruit that negatively affect both yield and quality. This study focused on the TRM76323 strain of Streptomyces, which was isolated from the soil of Tamarix chinensis in Xinjiang Province.

Plant-specific YABBY transcription factors play an important role in lateral organ development and abiotic stress responses. However, the functions of the YABBY genes in quinoa remain elusive. In this study, twelve YABBY (CqYAB) genes were identified in the quinoa genome, and they were distributed on nine chromosomes. They were classified into FIL/YAB3, YAB2, YAB5, INO, and CRC clades.

Processed meat products could constitute a relevant source of cadmium (Cd) and other toxic elements in the diet as they could contain organ meats (e.g. kidneys, liver) known to accumulate metals. Additionally, these products could be contaminated due to metal transfer from the machinery during processing and, in the case of canned meats, metal migration from the container could also occur.

Abstract The utilization of the thin film gradient diffusion technique has been on the rise for appraising the efficacy of soil cadmium (Cd). Nonetheless, in contrast to conventional methodologies employed to gauge the efficacy of soil Cd, there exists a dearth of adequate research concerning whether the technique of diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) can furnish a more precise and all‐encompassing evaluation of soil Cd effectiveness in soil passivation and remediation procedures.

Human infections by environmental bacteria is becoming an increasing problem and has become a matter of great concern due to the adverse effects worldwide. In this study, we reported a new environmental pathogen. Isolate GX5518T was a novel Gram-negative, aerobic, non-motile, pleomorphic and red-pigmented bacterium, was isolated from human wound secretions (GuangXi, People’s Republic of China).

Herein, a novel electrochemical sensing platform is designed for the simultaneous detection of Cd2+ and Pb2+, using MXene@rGO composite aerogel-doped UiO-66-NH2. The MXene@rGO composite aerogel not only serves as the support structure for UiO-66-NH2, but also improves the conductivity of the composite by accelerating the electron transport in the matrix.

Abiotic factors and rhizosphere microbial populations influence arsenic accumulation in rice grains. Although mineral and organic surfaces are keystones in element cycling, localization of specific microbial reactions in the root/soil/pore water system is still unclear.

Background Fruit juices are one of the most non-alcoholic beverages consumed in the world. Essential elements and other nutrients present in fruit juices play an important role in human well-being. However, fruit juices may also contain potentially toxic elements at trace levels, causing health risks.

Heavy metal (HM) contamination of grain crops is a potential health risk and removal of grain outer layers can reduce contamination to safe levels. This study investigated the reduction of lead (Pb), arsenic (As), and cadmium (Cd) using an abrasive decortication process in samples of quinoa and rice cultivated in southern Perú, where HM contamination has been reported.

Previous research has demonstrated that lead (Pb2+, for the remainder of the paper referred to as Pb) and other heavy metals are present in table eggs from backyard birds. While the source of Pb exposure is unknown, exposure to the environment via the foraging behavior of backyard poultry is likely a significant factor.

Abstract Bonvital® is the trade name for a feed additive currently authorised for use in piglets, pigs for fattening, sows, chickens for fattening, laying hens, chickens reared for laying and minor poultry species (other than those used for laying). This opinion concerns the renewal of the authorisation of Bonvital® as a zootechnical additive for chickens reared for laying and minor poultry species other than those used for laying.

Incidence and mortality rates of gastrointestinal (GI) and oral cancers are among the highest in the world, compared to other cancers. GI cancers include esophageal, gastric, colon, rectal, liver, and pancreatic cancers, with colorectal cancer being the most common. Oral cancer, which is included in the head and neck cancers category, is one of the most important causes of death in India.

Lead ions are a toxic metal that can enter the human body through the diet and negatively impact human health. A wide variety of foods, such as vegetables, meat, aquatic product, and drinking water, can be contaminated with lead ions. In this study, a highly sensitive immunochromatographic assay (ICA) based on antibody-oriented probe and silver enhancement was established for the qualitative and quantitative determination of lead ions in drinking water.

Microplastics (MPs) increase the effective state of heavy metals (HMs) in soil and seriously threaten the yield and quality of peanuts (Arachis Hypogea L.). Kaolinite (KL) has the potential to ameliorate MP- and HM- contaminated soils, but the mechanism of action between them is not well understood.

Exposure to arsenic, an environmental contaminant, is known to cause arsenicosis and cancer. Although considerable research has been conducted to understand the underlying mechanism responsible for arsenic-induced cancers, the precise molecular mechanisms remain unknown, especially at the epigenetic regulation level. Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) that have been shown to mediate various biological processes, including proliferation, apoptosis, necrosis, and mutagenesis.

Abstract Cheap and widely available calcium‐based materials have gained popularity for remediating cadmium‐contaminated soils, but their potential to address cadmium (Cd) toxicity in acidic soils remains deeply understudied. The current study investigated the effects of calcined oyster shells (COS) and dolomite (DM), applied at a rate of 30 g kg‐1, on Cd availability and its accumulation in spinach plants in acidic Cd‐contaminated soils (Cd concentration: 4.42 mg kg‐1).

by Erin A. Hull, Rebekah R. Stiling, Marco Barajas, Rebecca B. Neumann, Julian D. Olden, James E. Gawel Lake sediments store metal contaminants from historic pesticide and herbicide use and mining operations. Historical regional smelter operations in the Puget Sound lowlands have resulted in arsenic concentrations exceeding 200 μg As g-1 in urban lake sediments.

Cadmium (Cd) exposure has been associated with the development of enterohepatic circulation disorders and hyperuricemia, but the possible contribution of chronic low-dose Cd exposure to disease progression is still need to be explored.

Background Seaweed, or macroalgae has traditionally been part of the Asian cuisine for decades and is also becoming increasingly popular as food source in Europe and other Western countries. However, seaweed can accumulate elements from the environment and consequently may be a source of exposure to toxic elements, or potentially harmful levels of micronutrients.

Mercury (Hg) is a global environmental concern due to its toxicity (especially high in methylated form) and the long-range distribution of its gaseous elemental form (GEM). Hg-contaminated areas, such as abandoned mining sites, pose intrinsic difficulties for their management and heavy monitoring costs. In these environments, plant-based solutions may play a key role in the ecosystem quality assessment and support remediation strategies, combining reliability and cost-effectiveness.

Cadmium (Cd) contamination in wheat fields has become a major environmental issue in many regions of the world. Mercapto-palygorskite (MPAL) is a high-performance amendment that can effectively immobilize Cd in alkaline wheat soil. However, MAPL as an in-situ Cd immobilization strategy for alkaline wheat soil remains to be evaluated on a field-scale and the underlying mechanisms requires further evaluation.

To understand the effects of mining activities on soil cadmium and rice, a typical mining area was selected. The Cd content in a considerable number of soils exceeded the standard limitation GB/T 36,783 − 2018, with a rate of 42.03%. Further analysis revealed soil total Cd content was strongly correlated with soil bioavailability of Cd (R2 0.721**), pH (R2 0.386**) and soil total content of lead(R2 0.678**).