Research Publications (Food Safety)

Botrytis blossom blight disease is one of the major challenges to wild blueberry production with annual losses frequently exceeding 20%. In this study, the effect of different fungicide treatments on Botrytis blight development and yield, as well as the mobility and persistence of these fungicides within flower tissues, and fruit of wild blueberries were evaluated under field conditions.

Although filtration is one of the most common steps in sample preparation for chemical analysis, filter membrane materials can leach contaminants and/or retain some analytes in the filtered solutions. In multiclass, multiresidue analysis of veterinary drugs, it is challenging to find one type of filter membrane that does not retain at least some of the analytes before injection in ultrahigh‐performance liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC‐MS/MS).

The aim of this study was to compare the results of the presence of antibiotic (AB) residues in the milk of dairy cows treated with ABs – during the withdrawal period (WP) and after the WP obtained by various screening tests (Delvotest T, Twinsensor BT020, and Eclipse 50), to evaluate the presence of AB residues with regard to selected factors (indication for AB administration, AB group, and a number of antimicrobial substances) and to assess selected parameters of milk quality (fat, crude pr

This work evaluated the biochemical responses of the endogeic earthworm Balanteodrilus extremus exposed for 14 and 48 days (d) to soils collected from two tropical agricultural systems: maize-sorghum (MS) and soybean-sorghum (SS). A soil without agricultural management (WAM) and the use of pesticides was selected as a reference. The presence of organochlorine (OC) and organophosphate (OP) pesticide residues was quantified in MS and SS soils.

This study assessed the concentrations of trace metals in tissues of Mytilus californianus from the west coast of Baja California, Mexico, during the cold and warm seasons. The concentrations of silver, cadmium, copper and zinc in mussel tissues were measured using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. Silver concentrations ranged from 0.03 to 0.48 µg/g dry weight (d.w.) with significantly higher values registered at sites close to densely populated areas.

The aim of the study was to develop a modified QuEChERS method coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for the simultaneous determination of five multi-class pesticides in country beans collected from Dhaka, Bangladesh. Pesticides were extracted using ACN, and to minimize the co-extraction matrix, optimized d-SPE cleanup was done using sorbents (GCB, PSA, and C18).

Aims Cadmium (Cd) is absorbed by plants into the food chain as a trace pollutant harmful to humans. The rice (Oryza sativa. L) glycosyltransferases (OsGTs) family is a large protein family with over hundreds of members, however, prior studies have failed to identify which OsGTs has a role in plants' response to Cd toxicity.

This study examined the distribution of 37 pesticide residues in different cereal grains (rye, wheat, oat, and barley) and their fractions, including flour, bran, and feed bran. The grains used in the study were sprayed in the field before processing to provide a more accurate representation of the fate of pesticide residues in these fractions. Pesticides were extracted using the QuEChERS method and analyzed by GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS.

Abstract Aiming at accelerating the implementation of cumulative risk assessment to pesticide residues, this report describes a two‐step prioritisation analysis, on individual pesticides and on target organ systems, that allows to identify (i) low‐priority substances expected to have a marginal contribution to cumulative risk, and (ii) high priority organ systems to be addressed in future cumulative risk assessments.

Abstract Quillaia extract (E 999) was re‐evaluated in 2019 by the EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings (FAF). EFSA derived an acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 3 mg saponins/kg bw per day for E 999. Following a European Commission call for data to submit data to fill the data gaps, the present follow‐up opinion assesses data provided by interested business operators (IBOs) to support an amendment of the EU specifications for E 999.

In eukaryotic cells, purine metabolism is the way to the production of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) and plays key roles in various biological processes. Purine metabolism mainly consists of de novo, salvage, and catabolic pathways, and some components of these pathways have been characterized in some plant pathogenic fungi, such as the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae and wheat head blight fungus Fusarium graminearum.

by Zahra Alinezhad, Mohammad Hashemi, Seyedeh Belin Tavakoly Sany

Objective

Although milk and dairy products are almost complete food, they can contain toxic heavy elements with potential hazards for consumers. This review aims to provide a comprehensive report on the occurrence, concentration, and health risks of selected heavy metals in pasteurized and sterilized milk recorded worldwide.

Methods

Context or problem Selective herbicides control weeds in cereal crops and break down over time, allowing safe planting of legumes in the following years.

Extensive application of lead (Pb) brought about environmental pollution and toxic reactions of organisms. Selenium (Se) has the effect of antagonizing Pb poisoning in humans and animals. However, it is still unclear how Pb causes brainstem toxicity. In the present study, we wanted to investigate whether Se can alleviate Pb toxicity in chicken brainstems by reducing apoptosis.

Pigeon is an essential poultry with tasty meat and high protein content, and its breeding and consumption of meat have been increasing annually. Nevertheless, technical bottlenecks still exist in detecting veterinary drug residues in pigeon muscle. A rapid and sensitive method for determining 67 veterinary drugs belonging to six major groups (quinolones, sulfonamides, macrolides, hormones, tetracyclines, and insecticides) was developed in pigeon muscle.

This study used 300 1-day-old, sexless, developing chicks of Japanese quail to estimate the ability of vitamin C and/or garlic to antagonize the venomous influence of cadmium (Cd) on the hematological, immunological, and performance characteristics of developing Japanese quail. The quail was separated into 5 similar groups of 60 chicks apiece, and 6 duplicates (10 each) were given to each sub-group. The control group received a basal diet without any supplements.

Tin and lead are a global concern considering their species-dependent toxicity, bioavailability and transformation. Simultaneous speciation analysis of tin and lead is challenging for a large food capacity containing unstable species. Herein, we developed two sensitive methods for rapid quantification of tin and lead species in Antarctic seafood by high-performance liquid chromatography and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry based on strong cation-exchange and Amphion columns.

Abstract The conclusions of the EFSA following the peer review of the initial risk assessments carried out by the competent authority of the rapporteur Member State, France, and co‐rapporteur Member State, Austria, for the pesticide active substance pydiflumetofen and the assessment of applications for maximum residue levels (MRLs) are reported. The context of the peer review was that required by Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council.

Abstract Nanotechnology is a rapidly developing discipline that has the potential to transform the way we approach problems in a variety of fields, including agriculture. The utilization of nanotechnology in sustainable agriculture has gained popularity in recent years.

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are emerging pollutants that enter the farm and surrounding environment via the manure of antibiotic-treated animals. Pretreatment of livestock manure by composting decreases ARGs abundance, but how antibiotic residues affect ARGs removal efficiency remains poorly understood.

Hepatotoxicity is frequently observed following acute cadmium (Cd) exposure in chicken. Oxidative stress and subsequent inflammation are regarded as the main reasons for cadmium-induced liver injury. NOD-like receptor (NLR) family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome-induced pyroptosis is involved in various inflammatory diseases, including liver injury.

The prevalence of pesticide usage has brought the matter of pesticide residues to the forefront, necessitating the development of effective detection methods as a crucial step towards addressing this issue. This study presents a novel approach for detecting pesticide residues in vegetables using glass slide-formula-ion mobility spectrometry (IMS). The approach enables swift analysis of 36 different pesticides across three vegetable species with glass slides.

Gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) can be a major constraint and global challenge to the sheep industry. These nematodes infect the small intestine and abomasum of grazing sheep, causing symptoms such as weight loss, diarrhea, hypoproteinemia, and anemia, which can lead to death. The use of anthelmintics to treat infected animals has led to GIN resistance, and excessive use of these drugs has resulted in residue traced in food and the environment.

The environmental toxicant cadmium (Cd) impairs the growth of rodents and humans in utero which in turn heightens susceptibility to diseases later in life. We previously demonstrated that the maternal-facing efflux transporter, breast cancer resistance protein (human BCRP/ABCG2, mouse Bcrp/Abcg2) confers resistance against Cd toxicity in human trophoblasts.

The indiscriminate use of antibiotics in agriculture has raised concerns about antibiotic residues in food products, necessitating robust analytical methods for detection and quantification. In this study, our primary aim was to develop a robust and advanced liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methodology specifically designed for the accurate quantification of ticarcillin degradation products in tomato leaves.