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Research Publications (Food Safety)

This page tracks research articles published in national and international peer-reviewed journals. Recent articles are available ahead of print and searchable by Journal, Article Title, and Category. Research publications are tracked across six categories: Bacterial Pathogens, Chemical Contaminants, Natural Toxins, Parasites, Produce Safety, and Viruses. Articles produced by USDA Grant Funding Agencies (requires login) and FDA Grant Funding Agencies (requires login) are also tracked in Scopus.

Displaying 1 - 25 of 165

  1. Level of aflatoxins in dairy feeds, poultry feeds, and feed ingredients produced by feed factories in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    • Mycotoxin Research
    • Aflatoxins are one of the major factors that affect the quality and safety of feeds. They can be transferred into livestock through contaminated feed and then onto humans via animal sources of food such as milk, meat, and eggs. The objective of this study was to detect and quantify the level of aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1, G2, and total aflatoxin) in dairy feeds, poultry (layer and broiler) feeds, and feed ingredients produced in Addis Ababa.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  2. Seasonal variation of mycotoxin levels in poultry feeds and feed ingredients in Oyo State, Nigeria

    • Mycotoxin Research
    • Mycotoxins pose a major problem to poultry production as a result of feed contamination which has deleterious consequences such as production losses and human health risks. A total of 158 chicken feed samples were randomly collected from 46 consenting poultry farms in Oyo State throughout the wet season (April–October; 91 samples) and the dry season (November–March; 67 samples), including compounded feed (n = 129) and feed ingredients (n = 29).

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
      • Produce Safety
      • Seasonal Produce
  3. Efficacy of powdered alfalfa leaves to ameliorate the toxic effects of aflatoxin B1 in turkey poults

    • Mycotoxin Research
    • This experiment was conducted to determine the effect of an adsorbent material based on powdered alfalfa leaves added in the aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-contaminated diet of turkey poults on production parameters, blood cell count, serum biochemistry, liver enzymes, and liver histology.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  4. Curcumin attenuates aflatoxin B1-induced ileum injury in ducks by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome and regulating TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway

    • Mycotoxin Research
    • Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a widespread toxic contamination in feed for animals. The primary active component of turmeric, curcumin (Cur), is an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory. However, it is yet unknown how AFB1 affects the intestinal epithelial barrier and whether Cur acts as a protective mechanism when exposed to AFB1.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  5. Risk of exposure to aflatoxin M1 through consumption of cow’s milk among children in Magadu, Morogoro

    • Mycotoxin Research
    • Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) contamination of milk affects the general population with particular attention to children who frequently consume milk as part of complementary food. This study determined AFM1 contamination of cow’s milk and estimated the health risk of dietary AFM1 through consumption of cow’s milk among children (6 to 36 months) in the Magadu ward of Morogoro region in Tanzania.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  6. Determination and analysis of patulin in apples, hawthorns, and their products by high-performance liquid chromatography

    • Mycotoxin Research
    • This study aimed to establish a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method to investigate the residues of patulin in apples, hawthorns, and their products. A total of 400 samples were collected from online shopping plats and supermarkets in China, including apples (n = 50), hawthorns (n = 50), and their products (apple juice, apple puree, apple jam, hawthorn juice, hawthorn chips, and hawthorn rolls, n = 300).

      • Natural toxins
      • Mycotoxins
  7. Determination of aflatoxin M1 and ochratoxin A in breast milk in rural centers of Yazd, Iran: Exposure assessment and risk characterization

    • Mycotoxin Research
    • Breast milk (BM) is considered as the best source of nutrition which could have prevention effects on various diseases in the first years of a child. Along with nutritive compounds, presence of contaminants such as mycotoxins in BM could be transmitted into neonate. The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence, levels, and factors associated with the presence of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) and ocratoxin a (OTA) in BM samples of nursing mothers in rural centers of Yazd, Iran.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  8. Characterization of Aspergillus section Flavi associated with stored grains

    • Mycotoxin Research
    • Increased frequencies of Aspergillus section Flavi and aflatoxins in cereal grains have been seen in recent years due to changes in climate circumstances, such as high temperatures and drought. To assess the microbiological risks of contamination, it is critical to have a reliable and accurate means of identifying the fungi.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  9. Mycotoxin contamination in the Arab world: Highlighting the main knowledge gaps and the current legislation

    • Mycotoxin Research
    • Since the discovery of aflatoxins in the 1960s, knowledge in the mycotoxin research field has increased dramatically. Hundreds of review articles have been published summarizing many different aspects, including mycotoxin contamination per country or region. However, mycotoxin contamination in the Arab world, which includes 22 countries in Africa and Asia, has not yet been specifically reviewed.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  10. Degradation of deoxynivalenol by a microbial consortia C1 from duck intestine

    • Mycotoxin Research
    • Deoxynivalenol (DON), one of the most widespread mycotoxins in food and feed, poses a persistent health threat to humans and farm animals, and is difficult to eliminate. The utilization of the biotransformation mechanism by microorganisms to detoxify DON is a promising strategy. Although individual strains are capable of DON degradation, their isolation and purification are challenging and time-consuming.

      • Natural toxins
      • Mycotoxins
  11. Occurrence of ochratoxin A in breast milk and urine samples of nursing mothers in Bangladesh

    • Mycotoxin Research
    • The mycotoxin ochratoxin A (OTA) is a potent nephrotoxin with carcinogenic properties and, thus, of concern as a food contaminant. Since food contaminant data are scarce in Bangladesh, we applied human biomonitoring to gain more insights into OTA exposure in the country’s population. OTA concentrations in human milk and urine samples of nursing mothers were determined with the aim to assess also exposure to this mycotoxin in breastfed infants.

      • Natural toxins
      • Mycotoxins
  12. Aflatoxin M1 decreases the expression of genes encoding tight junction proteins and influences the intestinal epithelial integrity

    • Mycotoxin Research
    • Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) is a mycotoxin that is commonly found as a milk contaminant, and its presence in milk has been linked to cytotoxicity. The present study aimed to evaluate the acute cytotoxic effects of AFM1 on intestinal Caco-2 cells.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  13. Curcumin alleviates AFB1-induced nephrotoxicity in ducks: regulating mitochondrial oxidative stress, ferritinophagy, and ferroptosis

    • Mycotoxin Research
    • Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), an extremely toxic mycotoxin that extensively contaminates feed and food worldwide, poses a major hazard to poultry and human health. Curcumin, a polyphenol derived from turmeric, has attracted great attention due to its wonderful antioxidant properties. Nevertheless, effects of curcumin on the kidneys of ducks exposed to AFB1 remain unclear.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  14. Co-occurrence of mycotoxins and other fungal metabolites in total mixed rations of cows from dairy farms in Punjab, Pakistan

    • Mycotoxin Research
    • After India and the USA, Pakistan is the third country leading in global dairy production, a sector of very high socioeconomic relevance in Asia. Mycotoxins can affect animal health, reproduction and productivity. This study analysed a broad range of co-occurring mycotoxins and fungal secondary metabolites derived from Alternaria, Aspergillus, Fusarium, Penicillium and other fungal species.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  15. Individual and combined effects of deoxynivalenol (DON) with other Fusarium mycotoxins on rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) growth performance and health

    • Mycotoxin Research
    • This study assessed whether the toxicological effects of deoxynivalenol (DON) produced by Fusarium graminearum in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) are altered by the co-exposure to a mixture of toxins produced by Fusarium verticillioides (FUmix). This FUmix contained fusaric acid and fumonisin B1, B2 and B3. Four diets were formulated according to a 2 × 2 factorial design: CON-CON; CON-FUmix; DON-CON; and DON-FUmix.

      • Natural toxins
      • Mycotoxins
  16. Major Fusarium species and mycotoxins associated with freshly harvested maize grain in Uruguay

    • Mycotoxin Research
    • Fusarium species are common fungal pathogens of maize. Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium verticillioides, among others, can cause maize ear rot, and they are also mycotoxin producers.

      • Natural toxins
      • Mycotoxins
  17. Real-life exposure to Fusarium toxins deoxynivalenol and zearalenone triggers apoptosis and activates NLRP3 inflammasome in bovine primary theca cells

    • Mycotoxin Research
    • Cattle are deemed less susceptible to mycotoxins due to the limited internal exposure resulting from rumen microbiota activity. However, the significant amounts of Fusarium mycotoxins deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEN) frequently detected in bovine follicular fluid samples suggest that they could affect ovarian function. Both mycotoxins trigger several patterns of cell death and activate the NLRP3 inflammasome in the intestine.

      • Natural toxins
      • Mycotoxins
  18. Relevance of Zearalenone and its modified forms in bakery products

    • Mycotoxin Research
    • Zearalenone is a frequently occurring and well-known mycotoxin developed in cereals before and during the harvest period by Fusarium spp. mainly in maize and wheat. In addition to the main form, various modified forms (phase I and II metabolites) were detected, in some cases in high amounts. These modified forms can be harmful for human health due to their different toxicity, which can be much higher compared to the parent toxin.

      • Natural toxins
      • Mycotoxins
  19. Food aflatoxin exposure assessment in Sichuan Province, China

    • Mycotoxin Research
    • Aflatoxins (AFs) are frequent contaminants in crops worldwide and can cause adverse health effects in exposed humans. Since foods AFs (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2) contamination in Sichuan Province are unexplored, we conducted a study to assess AFs exposure in the population.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  20. The role of chromatin-modifying enzymes and histone modifications in the modulation of p16 gene in fumonisin B1-induced toxicity in human kidney cells

    • Mycotoxin Research
    • Fumonisin B1 (FB1) poses a risk to animal and human health. Although the effects of FB1 on sphingolipid metabolism are well documented, there are limited studies covering the epigenetic modifications and early molecular alterations associated with carcinogenesis pathways caused by FB1 nephrotoxicity.

      • Natural toxins
      • Mycotoxins
  21. Deoxynivalenol affects cell metabolism in vivo and inhibits protein synthesis in IPEC-1 cells

    • Mycotoxin Research
    • Deoxynivalenol is present in forage crops in concentrations that endanger animal welfare but is also found in cereal-based food. The amphipathic nature of mycotoxins allows them to cross the cell membrane and interacts with different cell organelles such as mitochondria and ribosomes. In our study, we investigated the gene expression of several genes in vivo and in vitro that are related to the metabolism.

      • Natural toxins
      • Mycotoxins
  22. Inactivation of zearalenone (ZEN) and deoxynivalenol (DON) in complete feed for weaned piglets: Efficacy of ZEN hydrolase ZenA and of sodium metabisulfite (SBS) as feed additives

    • Mycotoxin Research
    • Female pigs respond sensitive both to DON and ZEN with anorexia and endocrine disruption, respectively, when critical diet concentrations are exceeded. Therefore, the frequent co-contamination of feed by DON and ZEN requires their parallel inactivation. The additive ZenA hydrolyzes ZEN while SBS inactivates DON through sulfonation.

      • Natural toxins
      • Mycotoxins
  23. Occurrence of Fusarium mycotoxins in freshly harvested highland barley (qingke) grains from Tibet, China

    • Mycotoxin Research
    • Highland barley, also called “qingke” in Tibetan, is mainly cultivated in the Tibetan Plateau of China and has been used as a major staple food for Tibetans. Recently, Fusarium head blight (FHB) of qingke was frequently observed around the Brahmaputra River in Tibet. Considering the importance of qingke for Tibetans, the assessment of Fusarium mycotoxin contamination is essential for food safety.

      • Natural toxins
      • Mycotoxins
  24. Mycotoxigenic fungal growth inhibition and multi-mycotoxin reduction of potential biological control agents indigenous to grain maize

    • Mycotoxin Research
    • The present work investigated the potential of fungal species from grain maize farms in Malaysia as antagonists against the indigenous mycotoxigenic fungal species and their subsequent mycotoxin production.

      • Natural toxins
      • Aflatoxins
      • Mycotoxins
  25. The association of food ingredients in breakfast cereal products and fumonisins production: risks identification and predictions

    • Mycotoxin Research
    • Breakfast processed products are remarkably at risk of fungal contamination. This research surveyed the fumonisins concentration in different breakfast products and carried out in vitro experiments measuring fumonisins content in different substrates inoculated with Fusarium verticillioides. The pipeline started with the identification of combinations of ingredients for 58 breakfast products.

      • Natural toxins
      • Mycotoxins