Research Publications (Food Safety)

Fumonisins are a group of mycotoxins that routinely contaminate maize. Their presence is monitored at multiple stages from harvest to final product. Immunoassays are routinely used to screen commodities in the field while laboratory-based methods, such as mass spectrometry (MS), are used for confirmation. The use of a portable mass spectrometer unlocks the potential to conduct confirmatory analyses outside of traditional laboratories.

Mycotoxins seriously threaten the quality of maize seriously around the world. A total of 426 samples of maize kernel from northeast and northwest China were analyzed in this study. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS) was performed to analyze the mycotoxin contamination of maize samples. The results showed that it was contaminated by mycotoxins in maize.

Maize is considered one of the most susceptible crops to mycotoxin-producing fungi throughout the world, mainly belonging to the Fusarium spp. and Aspergillus spp. Maize is mainly used as animal feeds in Italy, as well as for human consumption, being essential for all the protected designation of origin (DOP) products.

(1) Multiple contaminations of several mycotoxins have been detected in human and veterinary food and feed worldwide. To date, a number of studies on the combined effects of mycotoxins have been conducted on cell and animal models, but very limited studies have been done on aquatic organisms. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the combined toxic effects of Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and Fumonisin B1 (FB1) on zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos.

Stachybotrys chartarum is a toxigenic fungus that is frequently isolated from damp building materials or improperly stored forage. Macrocyclic trichothecenes and in particular satratoxins are the most potent mycotoxins known to be produced by this fungus. Exposure of humans or animals to these secondary metabolites can be associated with severe health problems. To assess the pathogenic potential of S.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) and emerging Alternaria toxins often co-occur in cereal-based products, but the current risk assessment is commonly conducted for only one type of mycotoxin at a time. Compared to adults, infants and young children are more susceptible to mycotoxins through food consumption, especially with cereal-based food products which are the main source of exposure.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) remains one of the most concerning mycotoxins produced by the Fusarium genus due to the wide occurrence in highly consumed cereal-based food and its associated toxicological effects. Previous studies conducted in Spain and other European countries suggested that some vulnerable groups such as children could be exceeding the tolerable daily intakes.

Fungal toxins can have various adverse health effects, including carcinogenic, teratogenic or hepatotoxic impacts. In addition, fungal alteration has also a negative impact on agricultural plant production. The use of chemical fungicides to control mycotoxin contamination is increasingly controversial and regulated. More environmentally friendly methods are therefore being explored.

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), 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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

The toxicity of mycotoxins containing bisfuranoid structures such as aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) depends largely on biotransformation processes. While the genotoxicity and mutagenicity of several bisfuranoid mycotoxins including AFB1 and sterigmatocystin have been linked to in vivo bioactivation of these molecules into reactive epoxide forms, the metabolites of genotoxic and mutagenic AFB1 precursor versicolorin A (VerA) have not yet been characterized.

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is one of the most important diseases of barley in Manitoba province (western Canada), and other major barley producing regions of the world. Little is known about the Fusarium species and mycotoxin spectra associated with FHB of barley in Manitoba.

As one of the most important conjugated mycotoxins, zearalenone-14-glucoside (Z14G) has received widespread attention from researchers. Although the metabolism of Z14G in animals has been extensively studied, the intracellular toxicity and metabolic process of Z14G are not fully elucidated. In this study, the cytotoxicity of Z14G to human ovarian granulosa cells (KGN) and the metabolism of Z14G in KGN cells were determined.

Fusarium culmorum is a major pathogen of grain crops. Infected plants accumulate deoxynivalenol (DON), 3-acetyl-deoxynivalenol (3-ADON), or nivalenol (NIV), which are mycotoxins of the trichothecene B group. These toxins are also produced by F. graminearum species complex.

Tea is popular worldwide with multiple health benefits. It may be contaminated by the accidental introduction of toxigenic fungi during production and storage. The present study focuses on potential mycotoxin contamination in tea and the probable dietary exposure assessments associated with consumption. The contamination levels for 16 mycotoxins in 352 Chinese tea samples were determined by ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry.

A chromatography-free detection of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in cereals and oils through atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) has been developed using quantum dots and immunomagnetic beads. A magneto-controlled pretreatment platform for automatic purification, labeling, and digestion was constructed, and AFB1 detection through AAS was enabled.

Earth’s climate is undergoing adverse global changes as an unequivocal result of anthropogenic activity. The occurring environmental changes are slowly shaping the balance between plant growth and related fungal diseases.

The European Food Safety Authority is currently evaluating the risks related to the presence of emerging mycotoxins in food and feeds. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of soil fertility, resulting from different nitrogen fertilization rates, on the contamination of regulated mycotoxins and emerging fungal metabolites in maize grains.

Oat is susceptible to several Fusarium species that cause contamination with different trichothecene mycotoxins. The molecular mechanisms behind Fusarium resistance in oat have yet to be elucidated. In the present work, we identified and characterised two oat UDP-glucosyltransferases orthologous to barley HvUGT13248.

Fumonisins are a group of closely related mycotoxins produced by Fusarium, Alternaria alternata and Aspergillus species. Their occurrence is correlated with various factors during growth, processing and storage. Fumonisins occurrence data in the literature mainly include the B group of fumonisins (FB1 & FB2) in raw materials, showing high frequency of positive samples in a wide range of concentrations.