Research Publications (Food Safety)

Mol. Nutr. Food Res. 2023, 67, 202300317 DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.202300317 Deoxynivalenol (DON), the most common mycotoxin occurring in grain and grain products, can destroy the integrity of the colonic physical barrier and induce oxidative stress and apoptosis in the colon of mice with or without the existence of gut microbiota. Meanwhile, fecal microbiota transplantation did not show significant role of gut microbiota in DON‐induced colon damage.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and ochratoxin A (OTA) are immunotoxic agents that can be modulated by dietary ingredients like pumpkin (P) and fermented whey (FW). In this study, the effect of P‐FW mixture against AFB1 and OTA toxicity was evaluated in Jurkat cells through a transcriptomic approach. RNA sequencing showed the strong anti‐inflammatory role of functional ingredients against mycotoxins toxicity.

Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, Accepted Article. Scope
: The aim of the present study was to develop physiologically-based kinetic (PBK) models for rat and human that include intestinal microbial and hepatic metabolism of zearalenone (ZEN) in order to predict systemic concentrations of ZEN and to obtain insight in the contribution of metabolism by the intestinal microbiota to the overall metabolism of ZEN.

High level exposure to aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is known to cause acute liver damage and fatality in animals and humans. The intakes actually causing this acute toxicity have so far been estimated based on AFB1 levels in contaminated foods or biomarkers in serum. The aim of the present study was to predict the doses causing acute liver toxicity of AFB1 in rat and human by an in vitro‐in silico testing strategy.

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Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA) are common phytotoxins. Intoxication can lead to liver damage. Previous studies showed PA‐induced apoptosis in liver cells. However, the exact role of the extrinsic apoptotic pathway has not been investigated yet. Our study aimed to analyze whether the PA representative lasiocarpine sensitizes human liver cells towards extrinsic Fas‐mediated apoptosis.

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Cereal grains are commonly contaminated with Fusarium mycotoxins and their plant-derived masked metabolites. The fate of masked mycotoxins in the human gut is poorly understood. Here we assess the metabolism and transport of glucoside metabolites of common trichothecenes (deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, T-2 toxin) and zearalenone compounds (zearalenone, α- and β-zearalenol) in the human gut in vitro.

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: The isoflavone genistein, present in soy-based food and dietary supplements, is known for its estrogenic potential. In addition to phytoestrogens, food may also contain mycotoxins with estrogenic properties like zearalenone or alternariol, raising the question on potential combinatory effects of these xenoestrogens.

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: Aflatoxin exposure coincides with micronutrient deficiencies in developing countries. Animal feeding studies have postulated that aflatoxin exposure may be exacerbating micronutrient deficiencies. Evidence available in human subjects is limited and inconsistent. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between aflatoxin exposure and micronutrient status among young Guinean children.

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: In this study human exposure to the mycotoxin ochratoxin A (OTA) and its thermal degradation product 2’R-ochratoxin A (2’R-OTA, previously named as 14R-Ochratoxin A [22]) through coffee consumption was assessed. LC-MS/MS and the dried blood spot (DBS) technique were used for the analysis of blood samples from coffee and non-coffee drinkers (n = 50), and food frequency questionnaires were used to document coffee consumption.