Research Publications (Food Safety)

Deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEN) are described as detrimental factors to sow and boar fertility. In comparison, literature reports on the impact of modified forms of DON and ZEN, such as de-epoxy-DON (DOM-1) and hydrolyzed ZEN (HZEN), on swine reproduction are scarce. The aim of our study was to compare the effects of DON, DOM-1, ZEN and HZEN on boar semen in vitro.

Fusarium graminearum sensu stricto is, worldwide, the main causal agent of Fusarium head blight in small cereal crops such as wheat, barley, and oat. The pathogen causes not only reductions in yield and grain quality but also contamination with type-B trichothecenes such as deoxynivalenol.

Patulin (PAT) contamination caused by Penicillium expansum growth in postharvest fruit brings safety problems. This study investigated the inhibitory effect and mechanism of curcumin (CUR)-based photodynamic inactivation (PDI) on PAT secreted by P. expansum in vitro using a multifunctional light source instrument.

Zearalenone (ZEN) is a highly toxic non-steroidal mycotoxin produced via some Fusarium species that intimidate the agricultural and food industry. Therefore, it is an intense need for different groups to develop some novel, rapid, reliable, and precise analytical methods for ZEN detection to ensure food safety.

The presence of Penicillium and Aspergillus fungi during cheese production may lead to the formation of ochratoxin A, aflatoxins, as well as their partly mutagenic biosynthetic precursors. However, data about the presence of these toxins in final cheese is scarce.

Zearalenone (ZEN) is a universal mycotoxin contaminant in corn and its products. A surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) based test strip was proposed for the detection of ZEN, which had the advantages of simplicity, rapidity, and high sensitivity. Core-shell Au@AgNPs with embedded reporter molecules (4-MBA) were synthesized as SERS nanoprobe, which exhibited excellent SERS signals and high stability.

Ochratoxin A (OTA), primarily produced by the fungi belonging to the species of Aspergillus and Penicillium, is one of the most common mycotoxins found in cereals and fruits. In addition to resulting in huge economic losses, OTA contamination also poses considerable threat to human and livestock health. Microbial degradation of mycotoxins has been considered with great potential in mycotoxins decontamination.

Dairy production is a pivotal economic sector of Austrian and European agriculture. Dietary toxins and endocrine disruptors of natural origin such as mycotoxins and phytoestrogens can affect animal health, reproduction, and productivity.

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin produced by species of Penicillium and Aspergillus, and is found in many commodities including cereal grains, nuts, and coffee. OTA is a renal carcinogen and nephrotoxin at high concentrations, targeting the proximal tubules.

Chilli powder, a popular spice, is predominantly contaminated with aflatoxins (AFs) and ochratoxin A (OTA), posing a menace to public health. As no validated method exists for the simultaneous and direct analysis of AFs and OTA in chilli powder, it was imperative to develop one to ensure their effective monitoring and promote trade.

Fusarium graminearum is one of the most devastating diseases of wheat worldwide, and can cause Fusarium head blight (FHB). F. graminearum infection and mycotoxin production mainly present in wheat and can be influenced by environmental factors and wheat cultivars. The objectives of this study were to examine the effect of wheat cultivars and interacting conditions of temperature and water activity (aw) on mycotoxin production by two strains of F.

Rice is frequently contaminated with aflatoxins, that are highly toxic fungal substances and strongly involved on hepatic cancer. In this work, different extraction and clean-up methods were evaluated for the simultaneous extraction and clean-up of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 from rice.

This study investigated the occurrence of 5 unregulated mycotoxins in a total of 250 traditional dry-cured meat products sampled in 2020 and 2021 in five Croatian regions (eastern, northern, central, western, and southern). Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), ochratoxin A (OTA), sterigmatocystin (STC), citrinin (CIT), and cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) concentrations were related to the geographical region of the product’s origin and to local weather.

Quorum sensing (QS) is an attractive target for the treatment of multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, against which new antibiotics are urgently needed. Because LasR is at the top of the QS hierarchy controlling Rhl and PQS systems, most QS inhibitors have been targeted to LasR. However, it has recently been reported that in clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa, LasR is frequently mutated and nonfunctional, and RhlR independently acts to produce virulent factors that maintain toxicity.

Sorghum is the main staple food crop in developing countries, including Ethiopia. However, sorghum grain quantity and quality are affected by contaminating fungi both under field and post-harvest stage. The aim of the current study was to assessed fungal species and multi-mycotoxins associated with sorghum grain in post-harvest samples collected from eastern Ethiopia.

Amanitin (AMA) is responsible for human fatalities after ingestion of poisonous mushrooms, thus, a rapid and accurate detection method is urgently needed. Here, gold nanoparticle-based immunosensor with monoclonal antibody against AMA was constructed for rapid detection of alpha- and beta-amanitin (α- and β-AMA) in mushroom, serum and urine samples.

Deoxynivalenol(DON) is a ubiquitous trichothecene mycotoxin in food. DON and its modified forms can cross the placental barrier and influence the foetus’ health. Limited information is available on exposure of dietary DON intake of pregnant women in China recently. We estimated the exposure of dietary DON intake of pregnant women in a large sample size(n = 2534) from China.

Journal of Applied Microbiology, Accepted Article. Aims In the study, seven Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) Azotobacter species were screened against three strains of Fusarium verticillioides to test its antifungal activity. Azotobacter strains were tested for the degradation of fumonisin produced by F.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) induces intestinal epithelial barrier disruption, posing a threat to the body. Curcumin (Cur) possesses pharmacological bioactivities such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that help maintain intestinal health. Here, the protective effects of Cur against DON-induced intestinal epithelial barrier disruption were explored.

The zebrafish model was used to evaluate the antioxidant properties of cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G) and its metabolite protocatechuic acid (PCA) against aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-induced hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress. In this study, zebrafish larvae were cultured for 3 days post fertilization (dpf) and then induced with AFB1. After induced 4 h, 8 h, 12 h, and 24 h, 5 μg/mL C3G/PCA was added and then co-cultured to 5 dpf, respectively.

Fumonisin B1 (FB1), which is a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium moniliforme and Fusarium rotarum, has a number of toxic effects in animals. Moldy feed containing FB1 can damage the intestine. In this study, we used intestinal porcine epithelial cells (IPEC-J2) as an in vitro model to explore the effects of FB1 on cell cycle and apoptosis.

Journal of Food Safety, EarlyView. Fungi are significant contaminants and destroyers of spices. This study aimed at determining the mycoflora, mycotoxins, contaminants, and antimicrobial properties of some local spices; dawadawa (Parkia biglobosa), nutmeg (Myristica fragrans), turmeric (Curcuma longa), aniseed (Pimpinella anisum), ocimum (Ocimum basilicum), and clove (Syzygium aromaticum).

Red fermented rice (RFR) is rice fermented using Monascus spp. This product contains monacolin K, providing health benefits including mitigation of diarrhoea and improving blood circulation. RFR can produce pigments that can act as natural colour and flavouring agents. However, Monascus spp. (a fungal starter to ferment RFR) can also produce the mycotoxin, citrinin (CIT) which is believed to have adverse effects on human health.

H2O2 treatment fulfills the requirement of environmentally friendly and safety concerns since it can be easily removed or decomposed into water and oxygen. Even though the high efficiency in detoxifying aflatoxins (AF) in foods by H2O2 was reported by some studies, the information to utilize this reagent for practical application is very limited. This study aimed at investigating the effect of 30 g/hg H2O2 at 50 °C on catalase-inactivated peanuts.

The zearalenone (ZEN) lactonase from Gliocladium roseum (ZENG), possessing high activity but poor thermostability, is insufficient to meet the requirements of the feed industry. In this study, two potential hotspots, S162 and S220 in ZENG, were obtained through molecular dynamic (MD) simulations. In the first round, two mutants including S162P and S220R with increased thermostability were screened.