Research Publications (Food Safety)

Author(s): Hyun Jung Lee

BACKGROUND In Taiwan, nearly 90% of apples and raw ingredients for apple‐based products are imported. Apple juices (137 samples) and apple‐containing beverages (35 samples) were collected in Taiwan from imported food and analyzed for patulin content. RESULTS The results revealed that the incidence levels of patulin for apple juice and apple‐containing beverages are 5.84% and 5.71%. The mean contamination levels were 1.7 μg kg−1 and 1.4 μg kg−1 for apple juice and apple‐containing beverages.

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of zearalenone (ZEN), administered per os to gilts at doses equivalent to 50%, 100%, and 150% of no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) values for 14, 28, and 42 days during weaning, on changes in the parameters of the oxidoreductive balance, cytokine secretion, and basal metabolism in ileal Payer’s patches.

Fungal contamination of food is responsible for health issues and food waste. In this work, the incorporation of a lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with antifungal properties (Lactobacillus buchneri UTAD104) into whey protein-based films and coatings was tested for the control of an ochratoxigenic fungi (Penicillium nordicum) in a cheese matrix. The incorporation of L.

Author(s): Sabreen E. Fadl, Abeer M. El-Shenawy, Doaa M. Gad, Eman M. El Daysty, Hamdy S. El-Sheshtawy, Walied S. Abdo

The identity of the fungi responsible for fruitlet core rot (FCR) disease in pineapple has been the subject of investigation for some time. This study describes the diversity and toxigenic potential of fungal species causing FCR in La Reunion, an island in the Indian Ocean. One-hundred-and-fifty fungal isolates were obtained from infected and healthy fruitlets on Reunion Island and exclusively correspond to two genera of fungi: Fusarium and Talaromyces.

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in investigating the carcinogenicity of mycotoxins in humans. This systematic review aims to provide an overview of data linking exposure to different mycotoxins with human cancer risk. Publications (2019 and earlier) of case–control or longitudinal cohort studies were identified in PubMed and EMBASE. These articles were then screened by independent reviewers and their quality was assessed according to the Newcastle–Ottawa scale.

Author(s): Man Liu, Chao Cheng, Xuezhi Li, Sihan Zhou, Jiali Hua, Jie Huang, Yongxin Li, Kunlong Yang, Peng Zhang, Yan Zhang, Jun Tian

Author(s): Syed Wajih ul Hassan, Yumna Sadef, Shabbir Hussain, Muhammad Rafique Asi, Muhammad Yasin Ashraf, Sumera Anwar, Arif Malik

Author(s): Lei Zhong, Jason Carere, Lili Mats, Zhaoxin Lu, Fengxia Lu, Ting Zhou

Background Nutritional and environmental benefits of mycoprotein verify its health beneficial role on humankind in next decades. Agro‐industrial wastes can be used as cheap substrates to decrease total cost of product. However, fungi may produce toxins or lead to allergic reactions in consumer. So, the study of the safety and nutritional aspects of this product are very imperative. Results Fusarium (F) venenatum IR372C was cultured on date wastes and ammonium salts in submerge fermentation.

Author(s): Ljilja Torović, Iboja Lakatoš, Tatjana Majkić, Ivana Beara

Weaned piglets (n = 3 × 6) were fed 0, 15 and 30 mg/kg diet fumonisin (FB1, FB2 and FB3, i.e., FBs, a sphinganine analogue mycotoxin), from the age of 35 days for 21 days, to assess mycotoxin induced, dose-dependent changes in the red cells’ membrane. Ouabain sensitive Na+/K+ ATPase activity was determined from lysed red cell membranes, membrane fatty acid (FA) profile was analysed, as well as antioxidant and lipid peroxidation endpoints.

Medicinal plants are often consumed as infusions with boiled water. Scarce information is available in the literature about the migration of mycotoxins into the resulting beverage and/or the effects of the infusion procedure on the final mycotoxin contents. The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of the infusion process on mycotoxin contents during medicinal plant preparation.

Author(s): Mingyang Wang, Shuhua Yang, Jing Cai, Rong Yan, Lingqi Meng, Miao Long, Yi Zhang

Penicillium spp. are emerging as producers of mycotoxins and other toxic metabolites in nuts. A HPLC-MS/MS method was developed to detect 19 metabolites produced by Penicillium spp. on chestnuts, hazelnuts, walnuts and almonds. Two extraction methods were developed, one for chestnuts and one for the other three nuts. The recovery, LOD, LOQ and matrix effect were determined for each analyte and matrix. Correlation coefficients were always >99.99%.

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is the most toxic member of ochratoxins, a group of toxic secondary metabolites produced by fungi. The most relevant species involved in OTA production in grapes is Aspergillus carbonarius. Berry infection by A. carbonarius is enhanced by damage to the skin caused by abiotic and biotic factors. Insect pests play a major role in European vineyards, and Lepidopteran species such as the European grapevine moth Lobesia botrana are undoubtedly crucial.

Author(s): Silu Hou, Jingjiao Ma, Yuqiang Cheng, Hengan Wang, Jianhe Sun, Yaxian Yan

Fusarium infections have been reported in aquatic animals, but are still poorly investigated in wild salmonids. The aim of the study was to determine the impact of the fungi and their toxins on the health status of brown trout (Salmo trutta morpha trutta) migrating from the Baltic Sea to the freshwater.

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a secondary metabolite produced by fungal pathogens such as Penicillium verrucosum, which develops in food commodities during storage such as cereals, grapes, and coffee. It represents public health concerns due to its genotoxicity, carcinogenicity, and teratogenicity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of actinobacteria and their metabolites to degrade OTA and/or to decrease its production.

Author(s): Hyun Jung Lee, Chan Lee, Dojin Ryu

Zearalenone (ZEA) has been proved to be toxic, particularly to the reproductive system of gilts. The effect of ZEA on gilts during embryo implantation window period is of particular interests. Here, we observed window stage dysontogenesis of gilts treated with ZEA. In endometrial tissues and cells, autophagosomes increased significantly and mitochondria were damaged with increasing ZEA concentration.

Author(s): Si Chen, Shuhua Yang, Mingyang Wang, Jia Chen, Sheng Huang, Zhen Wei, Ziyang Cheng, Hanli Wang, Miao Long, Peng Li

A wide range of fungal species is associated with post-harvest spoilage of grapes. However, Aspergillus carbonarius is the primary fungus responsible for the contamination of grapes with ochratoxin A, a mycotoxin causing several confirmed health effects to humans and animals. Aiming to find a method, safe for the consumers, to prevent post-harvest decay and ochratoxin A contamination of grapes, the potential use of essential oils as preservatives was investigated.

Author(s): Ruxia Liu, Ruirui Shi, Wenting Zou, Wenhua Chen, Xianchao Yin, Fengchun Zhao, Zhengyou Yang