Mycotoxin Research最新文献

Aflatoxins in feedstuffs of dairy animals are recognized as a serious threat in terms of milk contamination and compromised animal performance. This survey investigated dairy cow performance at randomly selected 30 commercial Holstein Friesian farms, in addition to the estimation of aflatoxin contamination of milk with subsequent division of farms in two groups of low (< 0.5 µg/kg) and high aflatoxin M₁ (> 0.5 µg/kg) farms. A pre-planned questionnaire was designed to investigate the production performance, reproductive efficiency, and health disorders of the dairy cows. Results of the study showed that farms with high aflatoxins had low 3.5% fat corrected milk yield by 23.2%, resulting into decreased feed efficiency. Milk fat, protein, and lactose yields were also decreased by 17.2, 27.0, and 19.6%, respectively in farms with high aflatoxin contamination. The number of repeat breeding cows tended to be higher leading to an increase in calving interval of herds with high aflatoxins. Mastitis, as a health indicator, numerically increased from 6.44% in low aflatoxin farms to 14.0% in high aflatoxin farms. However, no difference observed in udder oedema, lameness, body condition score, and retained placenta except for a numeric increase in services per conception with aflatoxin contamination. In conclusion, farms with high aflatoxin M₁ contamination in milk had decreased herd performance through reduced milk production and poor reproductive efficiency in commercial setup.

Mycotoxins are produced by some filamentous fungi that can contaminate food products and are toxic to humans and animals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of extracts rich in bioactive compounds from one coffee industrial processing by-product (coffee husk) against two mycotoxigenic fungi and their mycotoxins. In vitro experiments showed that extracts from coffee husk had anti-fungal effect against Fusarium verticillioides and Aspergillus flavus, and the inhibition was directly proportional to the concentration of the extract. In addition, the extract had a significant anti-fungal effect over F. verticillioides in simulated stored grains (maize kernels and paddy rice). However, the reduction of aflatoxin B1 contamination was only observed in stored grains of red common beans, maize kernels and paddy rice. Bioactive compounds of coffee husk extract exhibit anti-fungal activity and demonstrated potential to reduce aflatoxin contamination in the food chain.

Wheat flour is a nutritionally complete food that can be affected by fungal attacks, leading to mycotoxins contamination and posing serious health risks. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence and determine the concentration of AFB1 in Iranian wheat flour. In the current meta-analysis, a systematic search was conducted based on the PRISMA guidelines to find published research in international electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science) and Iranian local electronic databases (Iranian scientific information database [SID], Magiran, IranMedex) as well as in Google Scholar, without time limit and until January 1, 2025. To perform the analysis, the collected data were transferred to Stata version 18. Furthermore, health risk assessment was performed based on estimated daily intake (EDI) of AFB1 from wheat flour consumption, margin of exposure (MOE), and liver cancer risk in Iranian children and adults. In this meta-analysis, 10 studies with 735 wheat flour samples were considered for the final analysis. This analysis showed that the overall prevalence of AFB1 in Iranian wheat flour was 74.17% (95% CI: 57.50-90.84). Also, the pooled mean AFB1 concentration in Iranian wheat flour was 2.75 ng/g (95% CI: 1.94-3.56), which was lower than the maximum limit accepted by the Iranian National Standardization Organization (5 ng/g). This review showed that the mean EDI of AFB1 through wheat flour consumption for Iranian children and adults was 15 and 12 ng/kg bw/day, respectively. In addition, the mean MOE for children and adults was 11 and 14, respectively, indicating a public health concern. As well as, the current meta-analysis showed that the risk of liver cancer associated with wheat flour consumption among Iranian children and adults was 0.22 and 0.17 cancer cases/year/ per 10⁵ people, respectively. According to the results of this study, although the pooled mean AFB1 concentration in Iranian wheat flour samples was within acceptable limits, there are public health concerns due to risk assessment findings. Therefore, continuous monitoring of aflatoxins in food is recommended for consumer safety.

Atranones are secondary metabolites produced by Stachybotrys chartarum, a mold frequently found in water-damaged indoor environments. In contrast to the well-characterized and highly toxic macrocyclic trichothecenes, atranones have received relatively limited scientific attention. Approximately 60% of S. chartarum isolates from indoor environments produce atranones, while 40% form macrocyclic trichothecenes. No strain has been shown to produce both, indicating that the biosynthetic pathways for these two mycotoxin classes are mutually exclusive. Atranones are dolabellane-like diterpenoids synthesized from geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate through multiple enzymatic steps encoded by a specific core gene cluster. While the genetic structure of this cluster has been elucidated, its regulatory mechanisms remain poorly understood. Notably, although atranone-producing S. chartarum strains have been isolated from indoor settings, no study has yet confirmed the actual production of atranones in indoor environments, leaving the question of real-world exposure unresolved. Experimental studies in cell cultures and animal models indicate that atranones possess pro-inflammatory and cytotoxic properties, including the induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Atranone Q has demonstrated antitumor activity against osteosarcoma cells in vitro, and more recently identified derivatives such as stachatranone and stachybatranone have shown preliminary cardioprotective effects under ischemic conditions. However, these pharmacological effects remain exploratory and require further validation in in vivo models. Major knowledge gaps concern the environmental triggers for atranone biosynthesis, their regulation, actual presence in built environments, and potential health risks. These areas represent key priorities for future research.

The intestinal epithelium is frequently exposed to environmental contaminants such as fumonisins, mycotoxins implicated in the development of mycotoxicosis across various mammalian species, with fumonisin B₁ (FB₁) being the most prevalent and toxic congener. Fumonisin B₁ (FB₁) can be enzymatically hydrolysed to produce hydrolysed fumonisin B₁ (HFB₁) that displays reduced inhibitory activity toward ceramide synthase. Given the central role of ceramide synthase in sphingolipid metabolism and cellular homeostasis, the reduced inhibitory activity of HFB₁ is considered toxicologically favourable, as it is less likely to disrupt membrane integrity and critical signalling pathways. However, the toxicity of HFB₁ remains variable across different in vitro and in vivo models. In this study, we evaluated the impact of FB₁ and HFB₁ on cell viability, apoptosis, and proliferation in the porcine intestinal cell line (IPEC-J2), including inflammatory responses through interleukin 8 (IL-8). Molecular mechanisms and pathways influenced by FB₁ and HFB₁ exposure were investigated through proteomic and bioinformatic analyses. Differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) were identified and functionally characterised using Gene Ontology analysis based on the Sus scrofa (domestic pig) database, revealing 52 significant DAPs between FB₁ and HFB₁ treatments compared to the control. Fibronectin 1 (FN1), an adhesive glycoprotein of the intestine, was consistently detected as a DAP in cells exposed to FB₁ and HFB₁. FB₁ upregulates FN1, while HFB₁ downregulates it, leading to different oncogenic pathways revealed by STRING enrichment analysis. Proteomic analysis further revealed distinct DAPs following FB₁ and HFB₁ exposure, implicating alterations in immune modulation (e.g. differential regulation of CD276), iron homeostasis (upregulation of FTL and FTH1), epithelial integrity (downregulation of NTN4, ST14), extracellular matrix remodelling (reduced SPARC), and angiogenesis-related pathways (decreased TINAGL1, FBLN2, SDC4) suggesting early changes in cellular signalling, stress response, and structural regulation that may be relevant to cancer biology and warrant further investigation. These findings also demonstrate that HFB₁ activates distinct cancer-related pathways in vitro compared to FB₁, with in vivo studies suggesting divergent mechanisms. HFB₁ also induces more extensive protein expression changes in IPEC-J2 cells, as reflected by the greater number of DAPs and the complexity of enriched pathways. However, further investigation is needed to determine whether these changes directly contribute to cytotoxicity or represent compensatory cellular responses.

The management of mycotoxin contamination in the supply chain is continuously evolving in response to growing knowledge about mycotoxins, shifting factors that influence mycotoxin occurrence, and ongoing technological developments. One of the technological developments is the potential for using artificial intelligence (AI) in mycotoxin management. AI can be used in various fields of mycotoxin management, including for predictive modelling of mycotoxins and for analytical detection and analyses. This review aimed to investigate the state-of-the-art of the use of AI for mycotoxin management. This review focuses on (1) predictive models for the presence of mycotoxins in commodities at both pre-harvest and post-harvest levels and (2) the detection of mycotoxins in samples by processing large datasets resulting from imaging data or chemical analyses of the sample. A systematic review was conducted, resulting in a total of 70 relevant references, including 15 references focusing on mycotoxin prediction models and 54 references focusing on mycotoxin detection, ranging from imaging to chemical analysis, and including relevant reviews. The AI applications and the most popular AI algorithms are presented. As shown by this review, AI is able to improve mycotoxin prediction models both at pre- and post-harvest levels and makes the emergence of non-invasive and fast detection methods such as imaging detection or electronic noses possible. A major challenge remains in the applicability and scalability of AI models to practical settings.

Fungal contamination in food matrices poses significant health and economic challenges worldwide. Mycotoxins, toxic secondary metabolites produced by fungi like Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium, are primary contributors to food safety concerns. These toxins contaminate various food products, including grains, nuts, and dairy, leading to severe health risks such as immune suppression, liver cancer, and kidney damage. Traditional detection methods like chromatography and mass spectrometry are precise but limited by their high costs and operational complexity. Immunosensors offer a promising alternative, providing rapid, sensitive, and cost-effective detection of mycotoxins in diverse food matrices. These biosensors leverage antigen-antibody interactions and employ advanced signal transduction mechanisms, such as electrochemical, optical, and piezoelectric systems, to ensure specificity and accuracy. Recent advancements, including the integration of nanotechnology, machine learning and Internet of Things (IoT), have enhanced the sensitivity, portability, and real-time monitoring capabilities of immunosensors. Furthermore, the development of multiplexed sensors facilitates the simultaneous detection of multiple toxins, ensuring comprehensive food safety monitoring. Despite their potential, challenges remain in addressing regulatory standards, sensor stability, and matrix interference. Continued innovation in immunosensor technology, coupled with global standardization efforts, is vital for effective mycotoxin detection and food safety assurance, especially in resource-limited settings.

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin that can contaminate a wide range of food products as a result of fungal growth on agricultural commodities or microbial activity during the curing or maturation process of meat-based products. This paper presents a fully validated interlaboratory study involving twenty laboratories to determine OTA in pork-derived meat, meat products, and edible offal. The analytical method employed extraction with solvent, immunoaffinity columns (IAC) clean-up, and reversed-phase liquid chromatographic detection coupled with a fluorescence detector. The method demonstrated its capability to determine OTA in all tested food matrices within the range of 0.5-10 μg/kg, achieving satisfactory trueness and precision consistent with the performance criteria established in Regulation (EU) 2023/2782. Average recoveries ranged from 72 to 86%, while relative standard deviations for repeatability and reproducibility ranged from 4.2 to 11.0% and from 9.5 to 22.6%, respectively. Repeatability and reproducibility limits ranged from 0.07 to 1.36 μg/kg and from 0.20 to 4.91 μg/kg, respectively. HorRat ratios obtained ranged from 0.4 to 0.9. The availability of reliable analytical methods is crucial for activities of official control purposes. The study confirms the method's suitability for routine use in official control laboratories, providing a robust and reliable tool for OTA monitoring in pork-based products.