Research Publications (Food Safety)

by Ryohei Tanaka-Kanegae, Koichiro Hamada

Background

by Karl Forest-Bérard, Marion Ripoche, Alejandra Irace-Cima, Karine Thivierge, Ariane Adam-Poupart

Author(s): Mengxue Peng, Zitong Zhao, Zhihong Liang

Author(s): Sarah Panera-Martínez, Cristina Rodríguez-Melcón, Víctor Serrano-Galán, Carlos Alonso-Calleja, Rosa Capita

Author(s): Kateřina Dorotíková, Josef Kameník, Kateřina Bogdanovičová, Simona Křepelová, Jan Strejček, Danka Haruštiaková

Author(s): Bernardo Duarte, Irina A. Duarte, Isabel Caçador, Patrick Reis-Santos, Rita P. Vasconcelos, Carla Gameiro, Susanne E. Tanner, Vanessa F. Fonseca

Author(s): Wen-kui Li, Yuan-ji Xue, Xiang-yun Fu, Zhi-qing Ma, Jun-tao Feng

Author(s): Temoor Ahmed, Muhammad Noman, Munazza Ijaz, Shafaqat Ali, Muhammad Rizwan, Usman Ijaz, Amir Hameed, Usama Ahmad, Yanli Wang, Guochang Sun, Bin Li

Author(s): Bhawana Sohal, Sartaj Ahmad Bhat, Adarsh Pal Vig

Acute hepatitis A is a self-limited liver inflammation caused by hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection. The infection is transmitted by direct contact from person to person via fecal–oral routes, or through consuming contaminated food and water. This study aims to estimate the frequency of HAV infection from medical records of Tobruk Medical Center, eastern Libya and its distribution during 6 years.

The Greater Khingan Mountains (GKM) regions have the second-largest areas of permafrost in China and serve as sinks of heavy metals like mercury (Hg) and arsenic (As). However, to date, we lack detailed information on Hg and As reserves, sources, and pollution assessment in the region, and this may bring increasing uncertainty when studying Hg and As cycle.

Aflatoxin biosynthesis has established a connection with oxidative stress, suggesting a prevention strategy for aflatoxin contamination via reactive oxygen species (ROS) removal. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is one of the most active and the richest molecules in green tea with well-known antioxidant effects.

Currently, digital technologies influence information dissemination in all business sectors, with great emphasis put on exploitation strategies. Public administrations often use information systems and establish open data repositories, primarily supporting their operation but also serving as data providers, facilitating decision-making. As such, risk analysis in the public health sector, including food safety authorities, often relies on digital technologies and open data sources.

The thermotolerant representative of the Bacillus cereus group, Bacillus cytotoxicus, reliably harbors the coding gene of cytotoxin K-1 (CytK-1). This protein is a highly cytotoxic variant of CytK toxin, initially recovered from a diarrheal foodborne outbreak that caused the death of three people. In recent years, the cytotoxicity of B. cytotoxicus has become controversial, with some strains displaying a high cytotoxicity while others show no cytotoxicity towards cell lines.

Dolphins are well-regarded sentinels for toxin exposure and can bioaccumulate a cyanotoxin called β-N-methylamino-l-alanine (BMAA) that has been linked to human neurodegenerative disease. The same dolphins also possessed hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), suggesting a possible association between toxin exposure and neuropathology. However, the mechanisms of neurodegeneration in dolphins and the impact cyanotoxins have on these processes are unknown.

Various types of botulinum toxin (BoNT) have been studied to treat cervical dystonia (CD). Although high-dose BoNT has proven efficacy, it increases the risk of adverse events. For this reason, this study was planned to identify the non-inferiority efficacy, tolerability, and safety of low-dose neubotulinum toxin A (Neu-BoNT-A) versus low-dose abobotulinum toxin A (Abo-BoNT-A) in CD treatment.

The toxicokinetics of the food and feed contaminant Fumonisin B (FB) are characterized by low oral absorption and rapid plasma elimination. For these reasons, FB is not considered to accumulate in animals. However, recent studies in chicken and turkey showed that, in these species, the hepatic half-elimination time of fumonisin B1 (FB1) was several days, suggesting that FB1 may accumulate in the body.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on fermentation quality, mycotoxin concentrations, and microbial communities of whole-crop corn silages infested with mycotoxigenic fungi. Cultured spores (106 cfu/mL) of mycotoxigenic Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium graminearum were sprayed (5 mL) on corn forage on 27 July and 10 August 2018.

Aspergillus flavus is a phytopathogenic fungus able to produce aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), a carcinogenic mycotoxin that can contaminate several crops and food commodities. In A. flavus, two different kinds of strains can co-exist: toxigenic and non-toxigenic strains. Microbial-derived volatile organic compounds (mVOCs) emitted by toxigenic and non-toxigenic strains of A.

Peripheral nerve injury leads to sensory ganglion hyperexcitation, which increases neurotransmitter release and neuropathic pain. Botulinum toxin type A (BoNT/A) regulates pain transmission by reducing neurotransmitter release, thereby attenuating neuropathic pain. Despite multiple studies on the use of BoNT/A for managing neuropathic pain in the orofacial region, its exact mechanism of transport remains unclear.

Penicillium expansum is a necrotrophic plant pathogen among the most ubiquitous fungi disseminated worldwide. It causes blue mould rot in apples during storage, transport and sale, threatening human health by secreting patulin, a toxic secondary metabolite that contaminates apples and apple-derived products. Nevertheless, there is still a lack of sufficient data regarding the resistance of different apple cultivars to P.

We evaluated the effects of a treatment diet contaminated with 1.7 mg deoxynivalenol and 3.5 mg fumonisins (B1, B2 and B3) per kg ration on immune status and peripheral blood gene expression profiles in finishing-stage Angus steers. The mycotoxin treatment diet was fed for a period of 21 days followed by a two-week washout period during which time all animals consumed the control diet. Whole-blood leukocyte differentials were performed weekly throughout the experimental and washout period.

Zearalenone (ZEA) is a secondary metabolite produced by Fusarium spp., the filamentous fungi. Food and feed contamination with zearalenone has adverse effects on health and economy. ZEA degradation through microorganisms is providing a promising preventive measure. The current study includes isolation of 47 bacterial strains from 100 different food and rumen samples. Seventeen isolates showed maximum activity of ZEA reduction.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), a secondary metabolite produced by fungi of the genus Aspergillus, has been found among various foods as well as in fish feed. However, the effects of AFB1 on fish development and its associated toxic mechanism are still unclear. In the present study, we confirmed the morphological alterations in zebrafish embryos and larvae after exposure to different AFB1 doses as well as the oxidative stress pathway that is involved.

Zearalenone (ZEN) is one of the most common mycotoxin contaminants in food. For food safety, an efficient and environmental-friendly approach to ZEN degradation is significant. In this study, an Aspergillus niger strain, FS10, was stimulated with 1.0 μg/mL ZEN for 24 h, repeating 5 times to obtain a stressed strain, Zearalenone-Stressed-FS10 (ZEN-S-FS10), with high degradation efficiency. The results show that the degradation rate of ZEN-S-FS10 to ZEN can be stabilized above 95%.