Research Publications (Food Safety)

In a recent study conducted by Zhang et al. (2019), the adenosine monophosphate‐specific aptamer has been applied for the rapid extraction of ochratoxin A. Although several publications have already reported the selection of adenosine monophosphate, adenosine triphosphate, and adenosine, there is no report on the detection of ochratoxin A using this aptamer. The data of Zhang et al.

Author(s): Manar Al Ayoubi, Michele Solfrizzo, Lucia Gambacorta, Ian Watson, Nada El Darra

Spices are susceptible to mycotoxin contamination which can cause gastrointestinal and adverse central nervous symptoms in humans, which highlights the importance of assessing the risk of their consumption on a daily basis. The aim of this study was to assess the risk of mycotoxin intake from spices in routinely prepared Lebanese dishes.

An assessment of the natural ochratoxin A (OTA) exposure of seven Martina Franca jennies was carried out by analyzing blood and milk samples collected close to and after delivery. A total of 41 and 34 blood samples were collected from jennies and foals, respectively, and analyzed by ELISA. A total of 33 milk samples were collected from jennies and analyzed by the HPLC/FLD method based on IAC clean-up.

Author(s): Koji Kikukawa, Miki Fukui, Ayano Oka, Ryohei Yamamoto, Atsushi Yamamoto, Mikiko Uchigashima, Takeshi Kono, Daisuke Kozaki, Shuji Kodama

Aspergillus section Circumdati includes 27 species, some of which are considered ochratoxin A (OTA) producers. However, there is considerable controversy about their potential OTA synthesis ability. In this work, the complete genomes of 13 species of Aspergillus section Circumdati were analyzed in order to study the cluster of OTA biosynthetic genes and the region was compared to those previously reported in A. steynii and A. westerdijkiae.

Author(s): Donato Magistà, Giuseppe Cozzi, Lucia Gambacorta, Antonio F. Logrieco, Michele Solfrizzo, Giancarlo Perrone

Bentonite clays exhibit high adsorptive capacity for contaminants and is frequently used as a feed additive to reduce the bioavailability and thus the toxicity of several mycotoxins. Zearalenone (ZEN) is a secondary Fusarium toxic metabolite that can contaminate a wide range of food- and feedstuff.

Pomegranate, similar to other fruits, has juice-extraction by-products. Pomegranate seed oil (PGO) is a non-traditional oil with health benefits, rich in bioactive components. This study was aimed to assess PGO phytochemicals and their influence as bioactive components to reduce mycotoxin secretion. The encapsulation was applied in micro and nanoforms to protect the quality and enhance the efficacy of the oil. The PGO was extracted using ultrasound-assisted methods.

This study was conducted to investigate human exposure to 19 compounds (mycotoxins and their metabolites) in plasma samples from healthy adults (n = 438, aged 19–68 years) from Navarra, a region of northern Spain. Samples were analyzed by LC-MS/MS, before and after enzymatic hydrolysis for the detection of possible glucuronides and/or sulfates (Phase II metabolites). The most prevalent mycotoxin was ochratoxin A (OTA), with an incidence of 97.3%.

According to the EU legislation, ochratoxin A contamination is controlled in wines. Tokaj wine is a special type of sweet wine produced from botrytized grapes infected by “noble rot” Botrytis cinerea. Although a high contamination was reported in sweet wines and noble rot grapes could be susceptible to coinfection with other fungi, including ochratoxigenic species, no screening of Tokaj wines for mycotoxin contamination has been carried out so far.

Ochratoxin-A (OTA) is a carcinogenic and nephrotoxic mycotoxin, which may cause health problems in humans and animals, and it is a contaminant in foods and feeds. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the effect of oral OTA exposure on the antioxidant defense and lipid peroxidation in the kidney.

Various fruits are involved in food models, including fresh‐cut fruit, fruit salad, and juices. Toxigenic fungi in horticulture have attracted interest in order to the food safety requirements and their illnesses relation. This study aimed to apply grape by‐products (Gbps) that contain bioactive compounds to reduce mycotoxin and limit toxigenic fungal‐activity in fresh‐cut fruit and juice. The Gbps were collected and extracted using ultra‐sonication.

Author(s): Qian Chu, Shaopeng Wang, Liping Jiang, Yuhang Jiao, Xiance Sun, Jing Li, Ling Yang, Yunfeng Hou, Ningning Wang, Xiaofeng Yao, Xiaofang Liu, Cong Zhang, Guang Yang

Patulin (PAT) is a natural mycotoxin that commonly contaminates fruits and their derivative products and has been proven to induce cytotoxicity and oxidative damage in renal cells. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of apocynin, a potent phenolic antioxidant isolated from plants, on PAT-induced cell injury in human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells.

The present study describes using molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) technology for determination of patulin (PAT) and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) in beverages by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to photodiode array (UPLC-PDA). PAT (4-hydroxy-4H-furo[3,2-c]pyran-2(6H)-one) is a mycotoxin produced by Penicillium fungi and Penicillium expansum is probably the most commonly encountered species that infects apples during their growth, harvest, storage or processing.

Author(s): Fengyang Wu, Jia Cui, Xinyu Yang, Shudong Liu, Shuaijuan Han, Baojiang Chen

In this study, a rapid and sensitive immunoassay method has been established based on calibration curve implanted enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (C-ELISA) for the simultaneously quantitative determination of aflatoxin B1, deoxynivalenol and zearalenone in cereal samples, soybean and peanut. The C-ELISA avoids using the standard substances during the detection.

Mycotoxins are naturally occurring fungal metabolites that are associated with health hazards and are widespread in cereals including maize. The most common mycotoxins in maize that occur at relatively high levels are fumonisins (FBs), zearalenone, and aflatoxins; furthermore, other mycotoxins such as deoxynivalenol and ochratoxin A are frequently present in maize. For these toxins, maximum levels are laid down in the European Union (EU) for maize raw materials and maize‐based foods.

Fumonisin contamination of maize damaged by Fusarium verticillioides and related species is a major problem when it is grown under warm and dry conditions. Consumption of fumonisin contaminated food and feed is harmful to both humans and livestock. Novel tools for reducing or eliminating fumonisin toxicity may be useful to the agri-feed sector to deal with this worldwide problem.

Mycotoxins are one of the most common types of chemical hazards related to edible oils. Although the refining process can remove such contaminations, they may still be present in the final oils due to defects during the refining steps. In addition, most oils produced in local manufactories are not refined and as such may be contaminated with mycotoxins. However, the effect of various cooking methods on the stability of mycotoxins in edible oils has rarely been studied.

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin produced by Aspergillus and Penicillium, capable of contaminating several foodstuffs. OTA damages primarily the kidneys, and is suspected to be a carcinogenic substance, thus maximum levels for OTA in foodstuffs have been established in the EU. Italian Ministry of Health suggested a maximum level of 1 μg/kg OTA in pork meat and derived products.

Author(s): Promy Virk, Nourah Abdual Rahman Al-mukhaizeem, Sara Hamad Bin Morebah, Dalia Fouad, Mai Elobeid

Author(s): Pouyan Malekinezhad, Laura E. Ellestad, Nazar Afzali, Seyed Homayoun Farhangfar, Arash Omidi, Abbas Mohammadi

Carbon is one of the most important nutrients for the development and secondary metabolism in fungi. CreA is the major transcriptional factor mediating carbon catabolite repression, which is employed in the utilization of carbon sources. Aspergillus ochraceus contaminates various food and feed containing different carbon sources by producing ochratoxin A (OTA). However, little is known about the function of AoCreA in regulating the morphology and OTA production of A. ochraceus.

Author(s): Fojan Agahi, Cristina Juan, Guillermina Font, Ana Juan-García