Cereal Samples Research Articles

Mycotoxins Analysis in Cereals and Related Foodstuffs by Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Techniques

In the entire world, cereals and related foodstuffs are used as an important source of energy, minerals, and vitamins. Nevertheless, their contamination with mycotoxins kept special attention due to harmful effects on human health. The present paper was conducted to evaluate published studies regarding the identification and characterization of mycotoxins in cereals and related foodstuffs by liquid chromatography coupled to (tandem) mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) techniques. For sample preparation, published studies based on the development of extraction and clean-up strategies including solid-phase extraction, solid-liquid extraction, and immunoaffinity columns, as well as on methods based on minimum clean-up (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS)) technology, are examined. LC-MS/MS has become the golden method for the simultaneous multimycotoxin analysis, with different sample preparation approaches, due to the range of different physicochemical properties of these toxic products. Therefore, this new strategy can be an alternative for fast, simple, and accurate determination of multiclass mycotoxins in complex cereal samples.

In Situ Monitoring of Sugar Content in Breakfast Cereals Using a Novel FT-NIR Spectrometer

This research demonstrates simultaneous predictions of individual and total sugars in breakfast cereals using a novel, handheld near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopic sensor. This miniaturized, battery-operated unit based on Fourier Transform (FT)-NIR was used to collect spectra from both ground and intact breakfast cereal samples, followed by real-time wireless data transfer to a commercial tablet for chemometric processing. A total of 164 breakfast cereal samples (60 store-bought and 104 provided by a snack food company) were tested. Reference analysis for the individual (sucrose, glucose, and fructose) and total sugar contents used high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Chemometric prediction models were generated using partial least square regression (PLSR) by combining the HPLC reference analysis data and FT-NIR spectra, and associated calibration models were externally validated through an independent data set. These multivariate models showed excellent correlation (Rpre ≥ 0.93) and low standard error of prediction (SEP ≤ 2.4 g/100 g) between the predicted and the measured sugar values. Analysis results from the FT-NIR data, confirmed by the reference techniques, showed that eight store-bought cereal samples out of 60 (13%) were not compliant with the total sugar content declaration. The results suggest that the FT-NIR prototype can provide reliable analysis for the snack food manufacturers for on-site analysis.

Molecular Characterization of Cereal Yellow Dwarf Virus-RPV in Grasses in European Part of Turkey

Abstract Yellow dwarf viruses (YDVs) are economically destructive viral diseases of cereal crops, which cause the reduction of yield and quality of grains. Cereal yellow dwarf virus-RPV (CYDV-RPV) is one of the most serious virus species of YDVs. These virus diseases cause epidemics in cereal fields in some periods of the year in Turkey depending on potential reservoir natural hosts that play a significant role in epidemiology. This study was conducted to investigate the presence and prevalence of CYDV-RPV in grasses and volunteer cereal host plants including 33 species from Poaceae, Asteraceae, Juncaceae, Geraniaceae, Cyperaceae, and Rubiaceae families in the Trakya region of Turkey. A total of 584 symptomatic grass and volunteer cereal leaf samples exhibiting yellowing, reddening, irregular necrotic patches and dwarfing symptoms were collected from Trakya and tested by ELISA and RT-PCR methods. The screening tests showed that 55 out of 584 grass samples were infected with CYDV-RPV in grasses from the Poaceae family, while none of the other families had no infection. The incidence of CYDV-RPV was detected at a rate of 9.42%. Transmission experiments using the aphid species Rhopalosiphum padi L. showed that CYDV-RPV was transmitted persistently from symptomatic intact grasses such as Avena sterilis, Lolium perenne and Phleum exratum to barley cv. Barbaros seedlings. PCR products of five Turkish RPV grass isolates were sequenced and compared with eleven known CYDV-RPV isolates in the GenBank⁄ EMBL databases. Compared nucleotide and amino acid sequences of CYDV-RPV isolates showed that the identities ranged from 40.38 − 95.86 % to 14.04 − 93.38%, respectively. In this study, 19 grass species from the Poaceae family and two volunteer cereal host plants were determined as natural reservoir hosts of CYDV-RPV in the cereal growing areas of Turkey.

Ergot and Ergot Alkaloids in Cereal Grains Intended for Animal Feeding Collected in Slovenia: Occurrence, Pattern and Correlations.

This four-year study reports the occurrence of ergot alkaloids (EAs) in cereals intended for animal feeding collected in Slovenia. A total of 517 samples of cereals were analysed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for the presence of EAs. The sample set included wheat, rye, triticale, oat, spelt and barley. The study revealed that 17% of the analysed cereal samples were contaminated with at least one ergot alkaloid. EAs have two epimeric forms: -ine and -inine. The incidence rates of the -ine and -inine forms in the analysed samples were 16% and 15%, respectively. The highest contamination rates were observed in rye (54%), oat (50%) and spelt (30%), where the highest mean concentrations of total EAs were also determined (502 µg/kg, 594 µg/kg and 715 µg/kg, respectively). However, the highest concentrations of total EAs were found in wheat and rye (4217 µg/kg and 4114 µg/kg, respectively). The predominant EAs were ergometrine, ergosine and ergocristinine. The occurrence of six or more ergot alkaloids was observed in 49% of the positive samples. A weak correlation (p = 0.284) in the positive samples was found between the mass of sclerotia and the total concentrations of EAs using the Spearman correlation coefficient.

A novel approach based on capillary liquid chromatography for the simultaneous determination of neonicotinoid residues in cereal samples

A simple and effective method using solid–liquid extraction followed by capillary liquid chromatography with diode array detection (CLC-DAD) has been established for the extraction and determination of seven neonicotinoid insecticides commercially available (imidacloprid, thiacloprid, clothianidin, thiamethoxam, acetamiprid, nitenpyram and dinotefuran) in cereal samples. The separation was achieved in less than 19 min using a Zorbax XDB-C18 column (150 mm × 0.5 mm i.d, 5 µm) at a 25 °C, with a mobile phase consisting of ultrapure water and acetonitrile at a flow rate of 10 µL/min. Detection wavelengths of 254 or 270 nm were used, depending on the analyte. Variables affecting the extraction efficiency were optimized, such as type and volume of extraction solvent, and extraction and centrifugation time. Under the optimal conditions, the proposed method was characterized according to SANTE/12682/2019 guideline, in terms of linearity (R2 ≥ 0.9901), repeatability (RSD ≤ 7.6%), reproducibility (RSD ≤ 10%) and trueness (recoveries ≥ 80%). The limits of detection and quantification were in the ranges of 3–5 and 9–18 µg/kg, respectively, being adequate for the determination of these compounds in cereal samples at levels below its maximum residue limits (MRLs) established by the European legislation. The advantages of a miniaturized technique such as CLC in terms of high mass sensitivity and reduced solvent consumption, combined with the simplicity of the solid–liquid extraction procedure, make this method a useful alternative for the monitoring of these residues at trace level in cereal samples.

A Calibration Curve Implanted Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Simultaneously Quantitative Determination of Multiplex Mycotoxins in Cereal Samples, Soybean and Peanut.

In this study, a rapid and sensitive immunoassay method has been established based on calibration curve implanted enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (C-ELISA) for the simultaneously quantitative determination of aflatoxin B1, deoxynivalenol and zearalenone in cereal samples, soybean and peanut. The C-ELISA avoids using the standard substances during the detection. The principle of the C-ELISA is to implant the optimized standard curve data into the matched analysis software which can make data processing more convenient and faster. The implanted calibration curve software was programmed with C plus plus. In the new immunoassay system for aflatoxin B1, deoxynivalenol and zearalenone, their linear detection ranges were from 0.03~0.81, 1.00~27.00 and 5.00~135.00 ng/g, respectively. Recovery rates from spiked samples ranged from 85% to 110% with the intra-assay coefficients of variation under 5%. Compared with HPLC method, the new method showed consistence in all the observed contents of the three mycotoxins in real samples. The new method can rapidly and reliably high throughput simultaneously screen for multiplex mycotoxins.

Dispersive micro solid-phase extraction with gas chromatography for determination of Diazinon and Ethion residues in biological, vegetables and cereal grain samples, employing D-optimal mixture design

In the present study, a dispersive solid-phase microextraction/gas chromatography-flame ionization detection was developed for extraction and simultaneous measurement of two organophosphorus pesticides (Diazinon and Ethion) residues in rice, cucumber, tomato, and mice liver samples. For this purpose, magnetic NH2-MIL-53(Al)@ Chitosan was synthesized and with coating magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles and with NH2-MIL-53(Al) in the presence of Chitosan to prepare an effective and magnetic sorbent for the extraction of Diazinon and Ethion. The value of sorbent components was optimized with a D-optimal mixture design. The optimum percentages of the sorbent components, including magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticle, NH2-MIL-53(Al), and Chitosan, were 21, 45, and 33%, respectively. Magnetic NH2-MIL-53(Al)@ Chitosan nanocomposites were characterized by FTIR, SEM, and VSM techniques. The effects of various parameters on the extraction efficiency of Diazinon and Ethion, including pH, type and volume of desorption solvent, dispersion time, sorbent amount, extraction time, sample solution volume, and desorption time, were studied and optimized by using the design of the experiment. The calibration curves were linear in the range of 0.23–220 and 0.13–200 µg L−1 for the determination of Diazinon and Ethion, respectively. Besides, LODs of 0.07 and 0.04 µg L−1 were obtained for the measurement of Diazinon and Ethion, respectively. Intra-day and inter-day RSDs were lower than 4.12 and 5.59% for the determinations of the analytes (n = 5) with a concentration of 10.0 µg L−1 under the optimum conditions, respectively. The proposed procedure was effectively applied to determine the Diazinon and Ethion residues in the rice, cucumber, tomato, and mice liver samples with a proper recovery in the range of 91.25–104.35 % and a low RSD (≤6.45%).

Exploring aflatoxin contamination and household-level exposure risk in diverse Indian food systems.

The present study sought to identify household risk factors associated with aflatoxin contamination within and across diverse Indian food systems and to evaluate their utility in risk modeling. Samples (n = 595) of cereals, pulses, and oil seeds were collected from 160 households across four diverse districts of India and analyzed for aflatoxin B1 using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Demographic information, food and cropping systems, food management behaviors, and storage environments were profiled for each household. An aflatoxin detection risk index was developed based on household-level features and validated using a repeated 5-fold cross-validation approach. Across districts, between 30–80% of households yielded at least one contaminated sample. Aflatoxin B1 detection rates and mean contamination levels were highest in groundnut and maize, respectively, and lower in other crops. Landholding had a positive univariate effect on household aflatoxin detection, while storage conditions, product source, and the number of protective behaviors used by households did not show significant effects. Presence of groundnut, post-harvest grain washing, use of sack-based storage systems, and cultivation status (farming or non-farming) were identified as the most contributive variables in stepwise logistic regression and were used to generate a household-level risk index. The index had moderate classification accuracy (68% sensitivity and 62% specificity) and significantly correlated with village-wise aflatoxin detection rates. Spatial analysis revealed utility of the index for identifying at-risk localities and households. This study identified several key features associated with aflatoxin contamination in Indian food systems and demonstrated that household characteristics are substantially predictive of aflatoxin risk.

Method Validation for Quantitative Analysis of Metribuzin in Wheat by Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

A high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated for the accurate determination of metribuzin levels in wheat. The widespread use of this herbicide in the production of wheat is of concern and could follow as well as the need for methodology, which required simple sample preparation being needed. Validation of method was done as per single laboratory validation approach. Samples were extracted through a modified quick, cheap, effective, rugged and safe technique. Sample preparation includes extraction by acetonitrile solvent and cleans up by C18, primary secondary amine and anhydrous MgSO4 for dispersive solid-phase extraction. LC-MS/MS was calibrated at 5 calibration levels with high correlation coefficients (r2) >0.995. Limit of detection and limit of quantitation of metribuzin were 0.01 and 0.03 μg/g, respectively. The mean recovery percentages lie in the range of 87-97 with standard deviation for repeatability (RSDa) <10% at three spiking levels (0.03, 0.15 and 0.30 μg/g). Combined uncertainty (U=0.0017) and expanded uncertainty (2U=0.0033) were fairly consequential. The method may successfully be applied to other cereals samples for determination of metribuzin.

A polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes/dual ligands-based magnetic adsorbent for effective extraction of aflatoxins in cereals via multiple interactions

A new adsorbent was synthesized by coupling polymeric ion liquid (PIL) and polymeric styrene (PSt) to polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS)-modified magnetic nanoparticles. The adsorbent was characterized by transmission electron microscope, vibrating sample magnetometer, x-ray diffraction and fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy. By introduction of branched POSS and dual ligands, the developed POSS/PIL-PSt-based magnetic adsorbent possessed high density of alkyl chains, charged groups and benzene rings and could provide multiple active sites, and showed high extraction efficiency for aflatoxins. By combining with high-performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detector, the type of ion liquid monomer, dosage ratio of ion liquid to styrene, and some extraction parameters were optimized. Low limit of detection (S/N = 3) and low limit of quantitation (S/N = 10) were achieved with 0.05–0.20 μg/kg and 0.17–0.67 μg/kg, respectively. The recoveries of four aflatoxins for spiked cereal samples were between 87% and 120% with relative standard deviation from 3.2% to 11.2% (n = 3). The satisfactory results indicated that the fabricated adsorbent offered promising application in the extraction of aflatoxins in complicated cereals.

Chlorinated paraffins in baby food from the German market

Infant formula and baby cereal are products specifically intended for a vulnerable consumer group and should therefore be strictly controlled. In this study, we analysed 21 infant formula and 10 instant baby cereal samples for the presence of chlorinated paraffins (CPs) and estimated dietary exposure to these compounds. Results covered short chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs, globally restricted as persistent organic pollutants in 2017) and medium chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCPs, currently used in high quantities). Of the 21 infant formula and 10 instant baby cereal samples, 45% of SCCP results and 94% of MCCP results were below the limit of quantification. Most positive detections were in the range of 25–100 ng/g lipids CPs, and only three samples contained SCCPs at >100 ng/g lipids. The SCCP homologue patterns were shifted to shorter chain lengths (C10 usually predominant) which indicated that CPs were partly removed compared to the normal pattern in food items. Calculated daily exposures for infant formula for 3-month-olds ranged from 97 to 360 ng/kg bw/day for SCCPs using the upper bound approach. The SCCP exposure was lower than data from European pooled human milk samples by a factor of two.

Occurrence of toxigenic Fusarium spp. in paddy and sorghum

A total of 45 cereal samples (35 paddy and 10 sorghum) were collected from Mandya and Mysore districts of Karnataka during March, 2019 to study the mycotoxigenic Fusarium strains present in the field and market samples. All samples were brought to DFRL, Mysore and screened for Fusarium presence by agar plating method on Selective Fusarium Agar (SFA) containing streptomycin (1 mg/ml) with incubation at 25 ± 2°C for 3–5 days. In the study, almost 10 different Fusarium species association was revealed with the collected cereal samples. Fusarium species were micromorphologically identified and further confirmed by PCR-based detection using ITS1 and ITS4 primers followed by sequencing. PCR studies confirmed that all the tested fungal isolates belonged to Fusarium spp. with the amplicon size of 590 bp. NCBI data base confirmed the sequence similarity of 99 % to the genus Fusarium and accession numbers were obtained by submitting the sequences to the GenBank. The study disclosed the diversity in phytopathogenic Fusarium spp. in paddy and sorghum growing in different agro-climatic regions of Mysore and Mandya districts of Karnataka, India.

ASSESSMENT OF RADIONUCLIDES IN SOME NIGERIAN MADE CEREALS AND TEA PRODUCTS

This study investigated the presence of the radionuclides 226Ra, 232Th, 40K and 137Cs in some cereals and tea products commonly available in Nigerian markets. Fifteen cereal samples and ten tea samples were purchased from different markets in Lagos, Nigeria. Gamma-ray spectrometric analyses of the samples were done using a High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detector to obtain the activity concentrations of the radionuclides with 137Cs being below the detection limit in all the samples analyzed. The mean activity concentrations (in Bqkg-1) of 226Ra, 232Th and 40K in the cereal samples were (0.839 ± 0.713), (1.153 ± 1.084) and (22.514 ± 8.897) respectively; while the values for the tea samples were (1.145 ± 0.765), (0.94 ± 0.601) and (19.212 ± 9.533) respectively. The associated hazard indices for the cereals ranged from 0.0065 to 0.0368 while that for the tea products varied from 0.0044 to 0.0292. These values are well below the world recommended limit of 1.0. The calculated annual effective doses due to the ingestion of the investigated samples ranged from 0.068 mSvy-1 (for age groups from 1 y) to 0.189 mSvy-1 (for age group 17 y). For the tea samples, the highest value was found in the age group 12 – 17 y, while the lowest was found in the age group 1 – 2 y. These values are below the allowable level of 1 mSv per annum for members of the general public as recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection. This indicates that the consumption of these cereals and teas do not pose as health hazards to both children and adults in the populace.&#x0D; &#x0D;

Determination of Emerging Contaminants in Cereals by Gas Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

Cereals are staple foods for human consumption in both developed and developing countries. In order to improve agricultural outputs, resources like reclaimed water for irrigation and biosolids and manure as fertilizers are frequently used, although they may increase the input of contaminants that can potentially be absorbed by crops and enter the food chain. Emerging contaminants (human and veterinary pharmaceuticals, personal care products, surfactants, plasticizers, and industrial additives, among others) are continuously introduced in the environment from a variety sources and these contaminants may enter the food chain through plant uptake. In this study, an analytical method, based on ultrasound-assisted extraction and dispersive solid-phase cleanup, was developed for the determination of emerging contaminants from different classes in four highly consumed cereal grains (wheat, oat, barley, and rice). These analytes were selected considering the results of our previous studies carried out in soil and vegetables and those frequently detected in real samples were chosen. The target compounds selected were bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol F (BPF), methyl paraben, propyl paraben, linear chain nonylphenol in position 4 (4-n-NP), mixture of ring and chain isomers of NP and six pharmaceutical compounds (allopurinol, mefenamic acid, carbamazepine, paracetamol, diclofenac and ibuprofen). Recoveries ranging from 68 to 119% with relative standard deviations (RSD) <18% were obtained for all the compounds except for allopurinol, with recoveries that ranged from 30 to 66% with RSD ≤ 12% and the limits of detection achieved ranged from 0.03 to 4.9 ng/g. The method was applied to the analysis of 16 cereal samples, ten were purchased in local supermarkets and the rest were collected directly from agricultural fields, five of which were fertilized with organic amendments. Bisphenol A (BPA) was detected in all samples at levels that ranged from 1.6 to 1,742 ng/g. Bisphenol F, a substitute for BPA, was also found in six samples (up to 22 ng/g). Linear 4-n-NP was found in a reduced number of samples but the mixture of NP isomers was found in all the samples, being the mean concentrations in wheat, barley, oat and rice 49, 90, 142, and 184 ng/g, respectively.

Assessment of human health risk due to potentially toxic elements intake via consumption of Egyptian rice-based and wheat-based baby cereals

ABSTRACT Commercially available baby cereals have become an important part of the diet of many infants and toddlers because of their mineral and vitamin content that fulfils the dietary requirements of these target groups. The presence of contaminants such as metals in infant formulas may pose health risks for children. Therefore, cumulative exposure from such formulas should not exceed the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) for toxic metals as set by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for essential trace elements. In this study, analysis of 28 samples covering 12 different brands of popular baby cereals collected from different Egyptian markets to assess whether the intake complied with the upper permissible levels for tested metals was performed. Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP OES) coupled with ultrasonic nebuliser unit was optimised, validated and applied in the routine method of analysis for the determination of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), antimony (Sb), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), chromium (Cr), tin (Sn), cobalt (Co), manganese (Mn) and nickel (Ni) in different baby cereal samples. The results showed that all analysed samples were free from any detectable amount of Cr, Pb and Sb, while the mean concentrations, in mg/kg (dry weight), were as follows: 3.30 (Mn), 47.40 (Fe), 0.02 (Cd), 1.00 (Cu) and 11.4 (Zn). The human health risk assessment was evaluated for daily and weekly intakes, the hazard quotient and the hazard index. The results of the health risk values were found to be significantly below the recommended tolerable levels and acceptable guideline values, which indicated that there are no carcinogenic effects may occur.

Quantification of multi-mycotoxin in cereals (maize, maize porridge, sorghum and wheat) from Limpopo province of South Africa

ABSTRACT Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites that are produced by filamentous mycotoxigenic fungi belonging to the Alternaria, Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillium genera amongst others. Multi-class mycotoxins were extracted from 55 cereal samples and analysed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The adopted extraction method for maize, maize porridge, sorghum and wheat was comprehensively validated. This method was further tested to determine the natural occurrence of mycotoxins in foodstuffs. Twelve (12) out of 22 mycotoxins were detected in maize, maize porridge, sorghum and wheat, including α-zearalenol (α-ZEL) (89%), fumonisin B3 (FB3) (84%), fumonisin B1 (FB1) (80%), tenuazonic acid (TeA) (78%), ochratoxin B (42%), deoxynivalenol (DON) (12%), ochratoxin A (11%), 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (7%), sterigmatocystin (STG) (6%), 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol (2%), cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) (2%) and aflatoxin B2 (2%). The data revealed high incidence rate of α-ZEL (range: 6.5–70.5 µg kg−1) in all matrices. Maize samples had high mycotoxin co-occurrence compared to other matrices. All recovered mycotoxins in food commodities were within the maximum regulatory limits, with the exception of fumonisins (FB1 and FB3) exceeded the South African and European Commission regulation, and the highest concentration was 2153 µg kg−1 in maize. It is essential to monitor the level of emerging mycotoxins in food commodities from rural areas as trace amount of CPA (< limit of quantification), STG (range: 0.30–0.74 µg kg−1) were detected and high concentration of TeA (292.7 µg kg−1) was detected in sorghum. The occurrence of these mycotoxins further encourages frequent analyses, their co-occurrence in the samples poses a significant threat to public health and more emphasis should thus be placed on reducing the contamination levels of these toxins in staples.

Lead pollution status and exposure level in cereals and related products in Zhejiang Province from 2014 to 2019

To investigate the level of lead in cereals and related products from Zhejiang market, and to provide the preliminary assessment. Lead was detected in 4855 samples of cereals and related products during 2014-2019, food consumption data was taken from Zhejiang residents&apos; consumption survey in 2015-2016. The total detection rate of lead in cereals and related products was 59. 03%, and the acceptance rate was 99. 3% when compared to the national food safety standards(GB 2762-2017). The average lead level in cereals and related products was 0. 031 mg/kg, high mean level was found in millet with 0. 049 mg/kg, low mean level was in grain cans with 0. 020 mg/kg. The average dietary exposure to lead via cereals and related products was 0. 16 μg/(kg·d), and 0. 45 μg/(kg·d) for high consumer(P97. 5). Lead in cereals and related products are at very low contamination levels, residents&apos; average daily intake of lead from grains and products was low in Zhejiang Province, but measures are still needed to reduce lead in cereal products considering the adverse health effects of lead.

Levels of Heavy Metals in Soya Bean and Some Cereal Samples from Shani and Kwayakusar Local Government Areas in Borno State, Nigeria

Grain (soya beans, sorghum and maize) samples from Shani and Kwayakusar Local Government Areas, Borno State, Nigeria were collected in agricultural locations for the determination of heavy metals. The levels of heavy metals were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AA–6800 SHIMADZU). The levels of all the heavy metals studied in all the agricultural locations were higher in the post-harvest grains than in the pre-harvest grains. Results from the Incremental Lifetime Cancer Risk (ILCR) showed that, there was the possibility of developing cancer related diseases from the consumption of cereal samples from the study area with respect to the 10-4 tolerable limit. The results further suggested that the source of these heavy metals content in the grains samples might be largely as a result of the application of agrochemicals. Hence, consumption of the study cereals from the study area is of health risk with respect to Pb, Cd and As and should be given higher priority by relevant agencies.

Isolation, comparison of identification methods and antibiotic resistance of Cronobacter spp. in infant foods

Cronobacter spp. are opportunistic pathogens that cause serious infections, especially in infants, elderly, and immunocompromised people. Dehydrated infant foods are the main vehicle associated with infections caused by these bacteria. Thus, this study aims to investigate the occurrence of Cronobacter spp. in 152 commercial samples of dehydrated infant formulas (77 samples) and dehydrated infant cereals (75 samples), as well as characterize the isolates. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/MS) methods for isolate identification were used, and their results compared. Furthermore, the susceptibility to 11 antibiotics was tested, and DNA sequencing of one isolate with multi-drug resistance was analyzed. No contamination in the infant formula samples was found, whereas 17.33% (13/75) of the infant cereal samples presented contamination with Cronobacter sakazakii. The identification results by PCR and MALDI-TOF/MS were divergent for some isolates. The antimicrobial resistance results showed a high incidence of resistance to cefazolin (94.4%) besides resistance to amoxicillin (9.45%), cefpodoxime (5.55%), streptomycin (1.35%), and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (1.35%). Whole genome sequencing of one multi-drug resistant isolate showed six genes associated with antimicrobial resistance and an 82% possibility of being a human pathogen based on the presence of virulence factors. The presence of Cronobacter spp. in infant foods represents a risk for the infant’s health. Moreover, the presence of a pathogenic multi-drug resistant isolate in infant’s food reinforces the necessity of improving food safety policies to protect young children.

Risk assessment and spatial analysis of deoxynivalenol exposure in Chinese population

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is one of the most commonly found mycotoxins across the world, and it mainly contaminates staple food crops. This study aims to evaluate the dietary exposure of DON and to provide a geographical profile of DON exposure in China. The concentrations of DON and its acetylated derivatives in 15,004 cereal samples (10,192 wheat flour, 1750 maize meal, 892 oat flakes, and 2170 polished rice) were collected from 30 provinces, autonomous regions, or municipalities across China during 2010-2017, through a national food safety risk surveillance system. The consumption data for cereals were obtained from China National Nutrition and Health Survey in 2002, and 67,923 respondents from the same 30 regions were included in the analysis. Among all the cereals considered, the concentration was the highest in wheat flour, with the mean concentration of 250.8μg/kg. Applying a worst-case scenario, some individuals were possibly at risk, but the probability of acute effects was low. The mean and median exposure for the entire population was 0.61 and 0.36μg/kg bw/day, respectively, below the (PM) TDI, indicating an acceptable overall health risk in Chinese population. Wheat contributed to 86% of the total DON exposure. Significant discrepancy was observed between the exposure and the contamination of DON. The high-exposure cluster area was in northern China, whilst the most seriously contaminated regions were all located in the southeast, which formed a seriously contaminated area.