Mycotoxins In Products Research Articles

Evaluation of Collagen and Elastin Content in Skin of Multiparous Minks Receiving Feed Contaminated with Deoxynivalenol (DON, Vomitoxin) with or without Bentonite Supplementation.

Simple SummaryThe presence of mycotoxins in products intended for consumption is harmful to the health of both people and animals. One of the most abundant mycotoxins in mink’s feed, often contaminating cereal grains, is a mycotoxin produced by the fungi Fusarium spp. deoxynivalenol (DON). The aim of the study was to investigate whether and how the long-term supply of this mycotoxin in feed influences the skin of adult female minks. An additional objective was to assess the effects of the bentonite additive to feed contaminated by DON, which has the ability to reduce the impact of mycotoxins. The scrapes of the skin were collected from animals after euthanasia and before pelting. After preparing histological slides, samples were examined microscopically. The thickness of the epidermis and dermis was investigated and the presence of elastin and collagen. These parameters determine the quality of the fur skins and economic aspect of this animal husbandry. The results showed that DON causes a decrease in the presence of total collagen and absence of immature collagen, thus reducing the elasticity and flexibility of the skin. The addition the bentonite to feed stimulates the production of collagen, restoring the proper relationship between the tested parameters in mink’s skin.Deoxynivalenol (DON, vomitoxin) is considered one of the most dangerous mycotoxins contaminating cereal products for food and feed. One of the protective methods against the adverse effect of DON on mink health is to use a component such as bentonite as a feed supplement to allow toxins absorption. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of DON, administered alone or with bentonite, on the histological structure of the skin and the content of collagen and elastin. A multiparous minks from control group (not exposed to DON) and a study groups receiving fed with DON-containing wheat for seven months: I: at a concentration of 1.1 mg/kg of feed, II: at a concentration of 3.7 mg/kg, III: DON at a concentration of 3.7 mg/kg and bentonite at a concentration of 0.5 kg/1000 kg of feed (0.05%) and IV: DON at a concentration of 3.7 mg/kg and bentonite at a concentration 2 kg/1000 kg (0.2%). After performing euthanasia and before pelting, skin samples of 2 cm in diameter were drawn from the multiparous minks from the lateral surface of the right anterior limb. Our obtained results clearly indicate that DON administered for a period of seven months at a dose of 1.1 mg/kg significantly changes the thickness of skin of a multiparous mink. It causes an increase in the percentage of elastin from 5.9% to 9.4% and a decrease in immature collagen, which results in a change in the collagen/elastin ratio from 10/1 to 5/1. A dose of 3.7 mg/kg DON in feed without or with 0.05% bentonite causes the absence of immature collagen in the dermis, but the addition of 0.2% bentonite in the feed reveals the presence of immature collagen and increase the percentage of the elastin.

Infrared spectroscopy used as a decision-making support for the determination of fungal and mycotoxic risk

In cereals, fungi and some of their secondary metabolites, so-called mycotoxins, are health concerns and cause important economic impacts. Consequently, a control of these raw materials is gradually being set up internationally, with the implementation of regulations for food and recommendations for feed. Classical techniques of quantification are long and expensive, and require expertise. On the contrary, the alternative analytical methods allow a fast, simple and inexpensive evaluation of the risks of presence of mycotoxins in products. Infrared spectroscopy is one such method. It uses the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum and exploits the fact that molecules absorb the specific frequencies which are characteristic of their structure. Hence, this technique is usually used in both characterization and quantification. The first part of this synthesis will present the general principles. The second part will review the studies on its use in management of fungal and mycotoxic risks.

Development and in-house validation of an LC-MS/MS method for the quantification of the mycotoxins deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, T-2 and HT-2 toxin, ochratoxin A and fumonisin B1 and B2 in vegetable animal feed

Animal feed can be contaminated with various mycotoxins. To ensure animal health and safe food and feed production, the European Commission has recommended increased monitoring of the co-occurrence of deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, ochratoxin A, fumonisin B1 and B2, T-2 and HT-2 toxin in feed. Thus, there is a need for an analytical method that enables their simultaneous detection and quantification. This paper describes the development and in-house validation of such a method, in which the mycotoxins were extracted from spiked and naturally contaminated cereal-based compound feed, corn and wheat. The extracts were divided into two aliquots where one was diluted and then analysed directly and the other was cleaned by using MultiSep®226 and then diluted and analysed. Separation and detection was achieved with LC-ESI-MS/MS by using a triple quadrupole instrument in the SRM mode. The precision (in terms of intra-day repeatability and inter-day reproducibility), accuracy, linearity, apparent recovery and expanded measurement uncertainty in feed, corn and wheat were evaluated. The LODs ranged from 1.0 to 72 μg/kg, and the LOQs ranged from 2.5 to 115 μg/kg. The apparent recovery was higher than 86% for all the mycotoxins, and the precision was better than that defined by the Horwitz equation for all concentrations. Proficiency test materials were analysed to assess the accuracy of the method, and the results were satisfactory for all seven mycotoxins. The method will be used to monitor the occurrence of these mycotoxins in products intended for animal feeding in Sweden.

A Survey on Occurrence of T-2 toxin in Cereals Destined for Human Consumption

: Background: A variety of agricultural products are exposed to fungal contamination from the early stages of planting, until their final consumption. T-2 mycotoxin is toxic to humans and to all animal species, it is mainly produced by the various Fusarium species including; F. sporotrichioides, F. poae, F equiseti, and F. acuminatum, and occasionally by other genera species, therefore, measuring T-2 toxin levels is very important in cereals.Objectives: We examined the occurrence and levels of T-2 mycotoxin in grains for human consumption.Materials and Methods: Rice, barley and wheat samples, 23, 16 and 7 respectively, were collected from the staple stores of nine food cooking centers in Tehran. After pulverizing the samples, they were extracted using a methanol-water solution (70:30), then analysed with an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), based on the monoclonal antibodies, the amount of T-2 mycotoxin was measured in their extracts.Results: All of the tested samples were contaminated with T-2 toxin at different levels ranging from 7.9 to 65.9 µg/kg (mean: 17.9 ± 2.1). Wheat samples had the highest level of contamination at approximately 42.4 µg/kg (± 8.4). However, both barley and rice were also affected with contamination levels of 18.3 (±2) and 12.5 (± 0.56) µg/kg respectively.Conclusions: Although the majority of samples were based on Iranian national standards, a small number of specimens (13.9 %) were contaminated at higher than acceptable limits. The extent of the impurities with T-2 toxin is an indicator of the current normal prevalence of mycotoxins in agricultural products destined for human consumption in this country, and the risk of exposure to the chronic effects of this toxin. Overall, this study showed that the level of mycotoxins in food products should be checked before they are bought or consumed. Implication for health policy/practice/research/medical education:Our study suggested that the levels of mycotoxins in products should be detected before buying and be discarded from human consumptive cycle if the grains are contaminated more than allowable limit. Please cite this paper as:Riazipour M, Imani Fooladi AA, Bagherpour G. Survey of T-2 Toxin Present in Cereals Destined for Human Consumption. Jundishapur J Microbiol. 2012;5(3):497-501. DOI: 10.5812/jjm.4251 Copyright © 2012 Kowsar Corp. All rights reserved.

The Carry-Over of Mycotoxins in Products of Animal Origin with Special Regard to Its Implications for the European Food Safety Legislation

At present, carry-over research in mycotoxins experiences a change in focus. We reviewed the state-of-art knowledge regarding carry-over in aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, Fusarium toxins, patulin, ergot and citrinin. The common cooccurrence of mycotoxins demands for employment of multi-toxin analysis and poses a new challenge in reliable health hazard assessment. Synergies in adverse mycotoxin effects call for a revision of various guidance levels in feed. We found a lack of risk assessment regarding carry-over of rare mycotoxins and metabolites usually considered negligible.

Aflatoxins, ochratoxin A and zearalenone in maize-based food products

The occurrence of aflatoxins B1 (AFB1), B2 (AFB2 ), G1 (AFG1 ) and G2 (AFG2 ), ochratoxin A (OA) and zearalenone (ZEA) was evaluated in 121 maize-based food samples collected in the commerce of Maringa City, Parana State, Brazil. The study was carried out between January 2002 and February 2003. Thin-layer chromatographic method was used to determine the mycotoxins. The recovery averages were 106.6%, 109.4%, 106.6%, 109.4%, 101.8% and 101.7% to AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2, OA and ZEA, respectively. Three samples (2.5%) were positive to AFB1 (8 to 59 µg/kg), two (1.7%) to AFB2 (2.4 µg/kg), one (0.8%) to OA (64 µg/kg) and one (0.8%) to ZEA (448 µg/kg). The greater frequency of positive samples and also the highest concentration of AFB1 were found in popcorn samples (8.3%, 59 µg/kg). The data showed a low frequency of mycotoxins in products based on maize traded in Maringa, but the Probable Average Daily Intake (PDI) of AFB1 in them was high. Therefore, it is necessary to accomplish an active vigilance of these mycotoxins in such food products in order to provide safety to Brazilian people health.