Abstract
ABSTRACTDeoxynivalenol (DON) is a Fusarium toxin, to which humans are frequently exposed via diet. Although the elderly are speculated to be sensitive to the toxic effects of DON as a result of age-related conditions, disease and altered DON metabolism, there is lack of available data on DON biomarkers in this age group. This study characterised urinary DON concentrations and its metabolites in elderly aged ≥65years (n = 20) residing in Hull, UK. Morning urinary specimens were collected over two consecutive days together with food records to assess dietary intake over a 24h-period prior to each urinary collection. Free DON (un-metabolised), total DON (sum of free DON and DON-glucuronides or DON-GlcA) and de-epoxy deoxynivalenol (DOM-1) were analysed using a validated LC-MS/MS methodology. Total DON above the limit of quantification 0.25 ng/mL was detected in the urine from 90% of elderly men and women on both days. Mean total DON concentrations on day 1 were not different from those on day 2 (elderly men, day 1: 22.2 ± 26.3 ng/mg creatinine (creat), day 2: 28.0 ± 34.4 ng/mg creat, p = 0.95; elderly women, day 1: 22.4 ± 14.6 ng/mg creat, day 2: 29.1 ± 22.8 ng/mg creat, p = 0.58). Free DON and DON-GlcA were detected in 60–70% and 90% of total urine samples, respectively. DOM-1 was absent from all samples; the LoQ for DOM-1 was 0.50 ng/mL. Estimated dietary intake of DON suggested that 10% of the elderly exceeded the maximum provisional tolerable daily intake for DON. In this single-site, UK-based cohort, elderly were frequently exposed to DON, although mean total DON concentrations were reported at moderate levels. Future larger studies are required to investigate DON exposure in elderly from different regions of the UK, but also from different counties worldwide.
Highlights
The trichothecene deoxynivalenol (DON), known as vomitoxin, is a secondary metabolite of Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium culmorum, to which humans and animals are predominantly exposed via food and feed (Pestka and Smolinski 2005; Pestka2010; European Food Safety Authority 2013)
Men were significantly shorter than adult men (p=0.03), but there were no further differences in weight (p=0.28) and BMI (p=0.63)
We provided a detailed analysis of DON exposure in elderly, by determining DON
Summary
The trichothecene deoxynivalenol (DON), known as vomitoxin, is a secondary metabolite of Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium culmorum, to which humans and animals are predominantly exposed via food and feed (Pestka and Smolinski 2005; Pestka2010; European Food Safety Authority 2013). As a result of its solubility in water and stability during cooking (temperatures 120 °C), storage conditions and milling processes, DON contaminates cereal grains and remains to a large extent unaffected during manufacture (Bretz et al 2006; Scudamore et al 2009). It can be found in cereal-based derivative products including breakfast cereals, bread, confectionary, beer, infant formulas, and baby foods (Scudamore et al 2009; European Food Safety Authority 2013). The chronic effects of DON exposure in humans are uncertain, and their study is hampered by challenges in assessing risk exposure, together with difficulties in differentially identifying symptoms of DON toxicity from those due to other illnesses (Etzel 2006; Marin et al 2013)
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