The risk of contamination of food with toxic substances present in animal feed

Framework for evaluation of food safety in the circular food system

In order to minimise food waste, side streams from feed and food production are increasingly being (re-) used in food supply chains. Such reuse contributes to the desire to implement circularity in food and agricultural systems. However, the reuse of side products in circular food systems may impact food safety, for instance, contaminant residues present at low levels in biomass may accumulate when reusing streams. In order to assess potential food safety issues related to circular food systems, a framework has been developed in this study. Based on this framework, appropriate actions can be taken to prevent from human health risks. The framework consists of three steps: 1. Describing the changes in the food supply chain as a result of the circularity transition; 2. Identifying potential food safety hazards related to the change; and 3. Prioritising food safety hazards related to the circularity transition. For the prioritisation, both the presence of the hazards in final foods and the effects of the hazards on human health need to be assessed. Persistence of the hazard in the environment and potential transfer from the environment to the final food product are relevant elements to include. The framework was tested in three case studies, showing that it allows for a prioritisation between hazards. Based on the case study results, circularity not so much influences the health effects of the hazards, but rather their presence depending on the persistence and transfer of food safety hazards in a circular system.

Design of a generic model based on physiology for persistent organic pollutants in laying hens: Applications on chlordecone and chlorinated paraffins

A Physiology Based Pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model has been developed to predict the kinetics of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in laying hens. Different datasets have enabled the calibration of the model for chlordecone (CLD), an organochlorine pesticide used in the French West Indies between 1972 and 1993, as well as for chlorinated paraffins (CPs), widely used for various industrial applications worldwide. For this purpose, the sensitivity analysis showed that intake parameters, laying rate, partition coefficients of yolk, hepatic clearance, percentage of metabolism and age were key parameters. Applied to CLD and CPs, this model shows a good capacity for prediction, with 88 % of the experimental values ranging within 1.5-fold of the predicted value at steady state for CPs and 100 % for CLD. The fine modelling of the physiology and the laying process contributes to precision of the model and gives genericity, enabling the switch from one bird species to another. The model can be implemented with other POPs if the clearance and partition coefficient are known.

Natural feed additives and bioactive supplements versus chemical additives as a safe and practical approach to combat foodborne mycotoxicoses

This review highlights the possible hazard of mycotoxins occurrence in foods and feeds in regards to foodborne diseases. The possible management of the risk of contamination of foods and feeds with mycotoxins by using natural feed additives, protecting against deleterious effects of mycotoxins or inhibiting the growth of fungi and mycotoxin production, is deeply investigated in the available literature and some effective measures for safe utilization of mycotoxin contaminated feed/food are proposed. The biological methods of decontamination, degradation or biotransformation of mycotoxins are deeply analyzed and discussed. Some natural antagonists against target fungi are also reviewed and a comparison is made with conventional fungicides for ensuring a safe prevention of mycotoxin contamination. The most common and useful chemical methods of mycotoxins decontamination of agricultural commodities or raw materials are also investigated, e.g., chemical additives inactivating or destroying and/or adsorbing mycotoxins as well as chemical additives inhibiting the growth of fungi and mycotoxin production. The practical use and safety of various kind of feed/food additives or herbal/biological supplements as possible approach for ameliorating the adverse effects of some dangerous mycotoxins is deeply investigated and some suggestions are given. Various possibilities for decreasing mycotoxins toxicity, e.g., by clarifying the mechanisms of their toxicity and using some target antidotes and vitamins as supplements to the diet, are also studied in the literature and appropriate discussions or suggestions are made in this regard. Some studies on animal diets such as low carbohydrate intake, increased protein content, calorie restriction or the importance of dietary fats are also investigated in the available literature for possible amelioration of the ailments associated with mycotoxins exposure. It could be concluded that natural feed additives and bioactive supplements would be more safe and practical approach to combat foodborne mycotoxicoses as compared to chemical additives.

Foodborne Diseases Due to Underestimated Hazard of Joint Mycotoxin Exposure at Low Levels and Possible Risk Assessment

The subject of this review paper is to evaluate the underestimated hazard of multiple mycotoxin exposure of animals/humans for the appearance of foodborne ailments and diseases. The significance of joint mycotoxin interaction in the development of foodborne diseases is discussed, and appropriate conclusions are made. The importance of low feed/food levels of some target mycotoxins co-contaminations in food and feedstuffs for induction of target foodborne mycotoxicoses is also studied in the available literature. The appropriate hygiene control and the necessary risk assessment in regard to possible hazards for animals and humans are also discussed, and appropriate suggestions are made. Some internationally recognized prophylactic measures, management of the risk, and the necessity of elaboration of new international regulations in regard to the maximum permitted levels are also carefully discussed and analysed in the cases of multiple mycotoxin contaminations. The necessity of harmonization of mycotoxin regulations and control measures at international levels is also discussed in order to facilitate food trade between the countries and to ensure global food safety.

Accurate Determination of Pesticide Residues in Milk by Sonication-QuEChERS Extraction and LC-LTQ/Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry

A modified, quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) extraction procedure combined with sonication and Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography–Orbitrap-Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC–Orbitrap-MS) was developed as a sensitive and reliable methodology for the determination of multiclass pesticides in full-fat milk. Different amounts of EMR-lipid sorbent were assayed for the cleanup step in order to achieve both acceptably high recoveries and low co-extractives in the final extracts. Accurate mass measurements of the analyte’s pseudo-molecular ions and tandem MS fragmentation were used to quantify and identify the target pesticides. Analytical performance characteristics of the method, such as linearity, recovery, precision, the limit of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ), matrix effects (ME), and expanded uncertainty, have been determined for method validation fulfilling all criteria for its use as a validated routine method. The method was successfully applied to real samples (by local farms and commercial), revealing the presence of carbendazim in one milk sample at a concentration level below the maximum residue limits.

A pilot evaluation on the toxicokinetics and bioaccumulation of polychlorinated naphthalenes in laying hens

Knowledge of the transfer features of polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs), a class of emerging persistent organic pollutants (POPs), is still lacking concerning the environment-feed-food transfer chain of farm animals. We conducted a controlled feeding experiment with laying hens fed fly ash-contaminated diets to investigate the toxicokinetics and bioaccumulation of PCNs (tri- to octa-CNs) in the hen eggs and tissues. The eggs showed increasing PCNs levels after 14 days of oral exposure, which gradually decreased during the 28-day depuration period but still exceeded the initial levels. The apparent one-compartment half-life of ∑₆₃PCNs in the eggs was 28.9 days, which was comparable to those of other dioxin-like compounds. The uptake and depuration rates of PCN congeners in the eggs were 0.002-0.010 and 0.016-0.079 days^-1 in eggs, respectively. The depuration rates were decreased with the n-octanol/water partition coefficients (logK_OW), indicating that the eggs retained more lipophilic congeners, whereas the uptake rates increased with the logK_OW, indicating the faster deposition of the more lipophilic PCNs in eggs during the exposure period. The transfer rates of PCN congeners ranged from 0.27%-23.0%, indicating the transfer potential of PCNs from feed to eggs. Additionally, the PCN distribution in the laying hens at the end of the exposure showed tissue-specific accumulation, with the high levels of PCNs in the liver, spleen, and ovum. Positive correlations between the transfer factors (C_tissue/C_feed) and the logK_OW suggested that more lipophilic PCN congeners tended to accumulate in the tissues. After quantitatively assessing the feed-to-food transfer of PCNs in laying hens, our results highlight the risk of exposure to PCNs in the food supply chain.

Characterization, expression, and function analysis of AKR1A1 gene from yellow catfish (Tachysurus fulvidraco)

Aldehyde reductase (AKR1A1) is a carbonyl detoxification protein in toxic aldehyde removal. In the present study, the full-length cDNA of yellow catfish AKR1A1 (TfAKR1A1) was cloned. As expected, yellow catfish AKR1A1 showed similarities with that of other species. Subsequently, prokaryotic expression vector was constructed and recombinant TfAKR1A1 (rTfAKR1A1) was successfully induced and purified. rTfAKR1A1 exhibited reductive activity to many aldehydes and ketones. To determine whether TfAKR1A1 could confer stress tolerance in vitro, the viability of control and TfAKR1A1 expression E. coli under abiotic stress was compared by spot assay. Results showed that the recombinant strain had better stress resistance under cadmium, hydrogen peroxide, and DL-glyceraldehyde stress. Then, effects of an intraperitoneal injection of rTfAKR1A1 protein on cadmium-induced oxidative stress were evaluated. Results displayed that TfAKR1A1 and Nrf2 expression levels were significantly decreased, CAT and SOD expression levels were significantly increased, BCL-2 and IL-10 expression levels were significantly increased, and caspase3a, NF-κB, and IL-1β expression levels were significantly decreased in protein-injection group. Furthermore, oxidative stress indexes in livers under different protein injection doses were examined by ELISA. Results showed that CAT, SOD, and GSH-Px activities were upregulated, ROS and T-AOC contents were also improved, while MDA content was significantly decreased both in lower and middle dose injection groups. Finally, liver pathological section analysis was performed. Results displayed that liver injury degree in protein-injected groups was lower than that of PBS group under cadmium stress. These results suggested that TfAKR1A1 played important roles in response to cadmium stress in yellow catfish.

Effects of Oil Types and Fat Concentrations on Production Performance, Egg Quality, and Antioxidant Capacity of Laying Hens

Simple Summary

Oils and fats are relevant sources of energy and functional substances in the animal’s body, ensuring its normal growth and development of laying hens needs. Eggs are rich in proteins, amino acids, and fatty acids, and are considered as ‘the ideal nutrient reservoir for humans’. Adding different types and amounts of oils and fats to feed can affect the production performance and egg quality of laying hens. Therefore, it is particularly relevant to investigate the appropriate type and proportion of oils and fats to be used in egg farming. We studied the effects of different concentrations of soybean oil, lard and mixed oils on the production performance, egg quality, and antioxidant substances of laying hens. The results demonstrated that the type and quantities of oils and fats in the diets of laying hens had significant effects on the parameters studied. Thus, this experiment provides a reference for the selection of different types of oils and fats in the egg production process to improve the quality and economic benefits of eggs.

Abstract

In this study, soybean oil, lard and mixed oils were added to the feed in two concentrations (1.5% and 3% of each), resulting in six experimental groups. The control group was fed with a base diet without additions, and used to compare the effects of feeding on production performance and egg quality of laying hens. The results demonstrated that: (1) the 3% supplemented-oils or lard group showed a decrease in laying rate; (2) 1.5% and 3% added-lard significantly increased the total amount of unsaturated fatty acids in eggs, compared to the control group; (3) 1.5% and 3% soybean oil increased the content of mono/polyunsaturated fatty acids, cholesterol, phospholipids and choline in eggs; (4) glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) contents were increased in all groups, being the most evident in the lard-treated group; (5) all experimental groups showed an increase in the content of essential and non-essential amino acids in albumen; (6) 3% oils, especially the mixed oils, damaged the structure of globules of cooked egg yolks. Therefore, the use of 1.5% soybean oil in the feed diet of Hyline brown hens resulted in the most adequate oil to ensure animal health and economic significant improvements in this experiment.

Concentrations and geographical patterns of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in meat from semi-domesticated reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus L.) in Norway

The study aimed at investigating the concentrations and geographical patterns of 11 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and 15 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in reindeer muscle samples (n = 100) collected from 10 grazing districts in Norway, 2009. Concentrations were examined for patterns related to geographical region as well as age and sex of animals. Concentrations measured for PCBs and OCPs in reindeer meat samples were generally low. Geographical patterns were revealed and districts with previous mining activities, military trenches, or those that were in the vicinity of the Russian border exhibited slightly elevated concentrations compared to other districts. Calves (10 months) exhibited higher concentrations than young (1.5 year) and old animals (>2 years) adjusted for sex, whereas males exhibited higher concentrations than females, adjusted for age. All PCB congeners inter-correlated strongly with each other, whereas oxy-chlordane and heptachlor epoxide were the strongest inter-correlated OCP compounds. Concentrations of PCBs and OCPs in reindeer meat were all considerably lower than the maximum levels set for those contaminants in foodstuffs for safe human consumption by the European Commission. Thus, reindeer meat is not likely to be a substantial contributor to the human body burden of persistent organic pollutants.

Qualitative-quantitative analysis of multi-mycotoxin in milk using the high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry coupled with the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe method

High-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry coupled with the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe method was established for the qualitative and quantitative detections of 20 mycotoxins in milk. The linear range of this method was 0.01-10 μg/L and the correlation coefficients were all greater than or equal to 0.9933. At three levels of addition, the spiked recoveries ranged from 80.00 to 112.50%, relative standard deviations were 2.67-14.97%, limits of quantitation were 0.02-4.00 μg/kg, and limits of detection were 0.007-1.300 μg/kg. This developed procedure for the identification and quantitation of mycotoxins provided prospective support for quality regulation.

Probabilistic health risk assessment of toxic metals in chickens from the largest production areas of Dhaka, Bangladesh

Chicken is one of the major protein sources and more affordable for the population of Bangladesh. Its quality monitoring is of high priority for food safety and public health risk assessment. This study determined metals (Fe, Cu, Zn, As, Ni, Cr, Sr, Hg, and Pb) in chickens from different farms of a high production area of Dhaka, Bangladesh, using an energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer to calculate the health risk through chickens consumption. In most cases, the toxic metals (As, Ni, Cr, Hg, and Pb) showed very high concentrations in different parts of chickens, especially livers that contained several times higher concentrations than the maximum allowable concentration (MAC). Analytical results showed some feed and water contain high concentrations of As and Cr that might be bioaccumulated in chicken. The estimated daily intake (EDI) for all metals was below the provisional tolerable daily intake (PTDI) values except As and Fe in few farms. Target hazard quotients (THQs) for most metals were less than 1 but THQs of As and Cr of few farms were higher than 1, indicating that the consumer would possess As- and Cr-based health hazards. Total target hazard quotient (TTHQ) of 42% for composite and 36% for body parts samples were > 1, suggesting potential health risk. The probabilistic risk and individual samples cancer risk (TR) were exceeded the acceptable level (10^-4) for As and 75% of composite and 58% of body parts of chicken showed acceptable limit (10^-6 to 10^-4) for Pb, indicating that the peoples might be exposed to lifetime cancer risk in the long run.

Environmental Contamination of Free-range Hen with Dioxin

Introduction

The transfer of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from a contaminated environment into the food chain is a serious consumer safety problem. As part of the Polish National Surveillance Program of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in food of animal origin, a concentration of PCDD/Fs of 4.61 ± 0.75 pg WHO-TEQ/g fat was determined in a sample of free-range eggs, which exceeded the permitted limit of 2.5 pg WHO-TEQ/g. The aim of the study was to investigate the source of the egg contamination and the risk for the eggs’ consumers.

Materials and methods

Eggs, muscles, feed and soil from the place where backyard waste burning had been carried out in the past and ash from a household stove tipped onto the paddock were analysed using the isotope dilution technique with high-resolution gas chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry.

Results

The concentration in ash was low at 0.20 pg WHO-TEQ/g and the congener profile did not indicate the source of contamination. The dioxin content in soil from the backyard waste-burning site was 2.53 pg WHO-TEQ/g dry matter (d.m.) and the soil’s profile of PCDD/F congeners matched the profile of the contaminated eggs.

Conclusion

By reason of the congener profile similarity, the investigation concluded, that the cause of the contamination was the backyard waste-burning site soil which the animals had access to. Frequent consumption of contaminated eggs from the analysed farm could pose a health risk due to chronic exposure, especially for vulnerable consumers.

Protection and Active Decontamination of Dairy Cattle Heifers against Lipophilic Toxins (PCBs) from Diet

We studied the effects of a hydrophobized reversed-phase feed adsorbent in the form of a polyoctylated polysilicate hydrogel (POPSH) on productivity indicators, metabolic adaptation, and on the level of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the blood of growing Holsteinized black-and-white heifers during the transition period. Two groups of two-month-old heifers of 20 head each were used. The experimental group received POPSH in addition to the main diet. The use of the adsorbent led to an increase in daily weight gain by 19.9% and to a decrease in the total concentration of PCB congeners found in whole blood by 40%. The greatest decrease in concentration (35-52%) was observed for tetra-, penta- and hexachlorobiphenyls. These results demonstrate the possibilities of effective protection of calves from lipophilic toxins of feed and their active decontamination.

Safety of livestock products of bulls on various diets during fattening in the conditions of radioactive contamination

Production of high-quality and safe food products in the conditions of technogenic environmental pollution is a problem worldwide, especially in Ukraine. As a result of the disaster at the Chornobyl Atomic Power Plant, radioactive substances, including caesium-137, contaminated the soil not only in Ukraine, but in many other countries. Zhytomyr Oblast is the fifth largest oblast in Ukraine and one of the regions that were the most damaged by the accident. Furthermore, this territory is contaminated by the most toxic heavy metals – lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) that actively migrate in the biological system: soil→ plant → animal → production → human, intensely accumulating in the products of plant and animal origin. The complex ecological situation and broad spectrum of biological and toxic actions of 137Cs, Pb, Cd require a number of measures that would prevent transformation of radioactive elements and heavy metals in the organism of animals, increase animals` productivity and safety of the food products made in the conditions of the Ukrainian Polisia. Therefore, we aimed at substantiating the practicability of using silage-concentrate, silage-concentrate-root vegetable and silage-concentrate-hay types of diet for young cattle during fattening and determining the impact of accumulation of 137Сs, Pb and Cd in livestock products. To perform the studies, we formed three groups of young bulls of Ukrainian Black Pied cattle using the method of analogues with creating comfortable maintenance condition and organization of in-detail planned feeding. The diet was composed of fodders prepared in the conditions of radioactive contamination. The laboratory surveys indicated that the main sources of 137Cs ingress in the organism of the animals were roughages and various types of silages, and the sources of heavy metals Pb and Cd were hay of red clover and concentrated fodders. In the experimental studies, we determined absolute and average daily weight gains, expenditures of metabolic energy per 1 kg of weight increment, specific activity of 137Сs and concentrations of the heavy metals (Pb and Cd) in the biological system “fodder-animal-production” during feeding of bulls with various-type diets in the conditions of the III zone of radioactive pollution. It was confirmed that substituting maize silage and carbohydrate fodders increased the average daily gains in the live weight by 2.3–4.6%, decreased specific activity of 137Cs by 8.7–20.1%, the content of Pb by 36.2%, Cd by 34.1–66.7% in the longissimus at silage-concentrate-root vegetable and silage-concentrate-hay types of diet for bulls. Thus, use of silage-concentrate-root vegetable and silage-concentrate-hay types of diets compared with silage-concentrate feeding had a positive effect on their productivity and safety of the food production.

Accumulation of short-, medium-, and long- chain chlorinated paraffins in tissues of laying hens after dietary exposure

Reliable human health risk assessment associated with chlorinated paraffins (CPs) exposure is limited by the lack of data on the fate of this complex family of contaminants. To gain knowledge on the accumulation and distribution of CPs in biota after ingestion, laying hens were dietary exposed to technical mixtures of short- (SCCPs), medium- (MCCPs), or long-chain (LCCPs) CPs of various chlorine contents during 91 days, at 200 ng/g of feed, each. Adipose tissue, liver, muscle and serum were collected at the steady-state, along with excreta. All C₁₀-C₃₆ CPs were detected in liver. However, differences were observed in CP distribution: LCCPs high %Cl were retained in the liver; LCCPs low %Cl circulated through the serum and were distributed in the different compartments, but were mostly excreted through the eggs; SCCPs and MCCPs were found in all tissues at similar levels. Finally, a mass balance indicated a potential for biotransformation.

Transfer of short-, medium-, and long-chain chlorinated paraffins to eggs of laying hens after dietary exposure

Chlorinated paraffins (CPs) are a complex family of contaminants. Lack of exposure data and an understanding of the fate of these chemicals in the environment affect our ability to reliably assess the human health risk associated with CP exposure. The present study focused on the evaluation of CP transfer from feed to eggs of laying hens exposed over 91 days. Laying hens were provided feed spiked with five technical mixtures of short-, medium- or long-chain CPs and featuring low or high chlorine contents, at concentrations of 200 ng/g each. Eggs were collected daily. All mixtures except the LCCPs with high chlorine content transferred into the eggs, with accumulation ratios increasing with the chain length and chlorine content. Concentrations at the steady-state varied between 41 and 1397 ng/g lw depending on the mixture. Additionally, the homologue-dependant transfer resulted in a change of pattern compared to that from the spiked feed.

Contamination of heavy metals in poultry eggs: a study presenting relation between heavy metals in feed intake and eggs

This study aims to quantify heavy metals (Ni, Pb, Zn, Mn, Cr, Cu and Se) in eggs obtained from poultry farms and backyard raised hens by comparing the concentration of metals in their feed intake. Overall, 90 samples of egg and 12 samples of poultry feed (6 each with food and water) were collected from 3 different poultry farms and backyards located in peri-urban areas of Lahore. A di-acid digestion method was adopted for digestion, after which digested samples were analyzed under atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Results showed that the concentration of Pb, Cr and Se in egg white (Pb = 0.6578, Cr = 0.18 and Se = 0.2161), egg yolk (Pb = 0.7011, Cr = 0.2617 and Se = 0.2656), feed (Pb = 2.585, Cr = 1.3039 and Se = 0.9411) and water (Pb = 0.5483, Cr = 0.1006 and Se = 0.3461) were above permissible limits in both poultry farms (study group 1) and backyards (study group 2). The concentration of metals such as Pb, Mn, Cr, Cu and Se in poultry farms eggs were higher than backyard hen eggs, which may be due to the intake of contaminated feed. So, the current study concluded that the higher concentration of metals in eggs has a positive correlation with the intake of feed contaminated with heavy metals.

Presence of natural radionuclides and toxic elements in monocalcium phosphate, complete feed and pig manure

Naturally occurring radionuclides and toxic elements are ubiquitous in the environment and can pose a great risk to animals' health. Control of these toxic substances in animal diet is essential for animal's welfare, human nutrition risk management as well as environmental protection. Our study addresses these issues by determining a content of natural radionuclides (⁴⁰K, ²³⁸U and ²²⁶Ra), and toxic elements (Cd, Cr, As) in total of 108 samples: 36 monocalcium phosphate, 36 complete feed and 36 pig manure samples that were collected from 6 different commercial farms in the Republic of Serbia. In monocalcium phosphate the content of ⁴⁰K, ²³⁸U and ²²⁶Ra ranged from 7.6-23.4 Bq kg^-1, 13.2-1778 Bq kg^-1 and 3.6-13.5 Bq kg^-1, respectively. In complete feed samples, ⁴⁰K ranged from 170 to 306 Bq kg^-1, ²³⁸U from minimum detectable activity (MDA) to 9.1 Bq kg^-1, and ²²⁶Ra from MDA-5.5 Bq kg^-1, while in pig manure ⁴⁰K ranged from 146 to 531 Bq kg^-1, ²³⁸U from MDA-30.1 Bq kg^-1, and ²²⁶Ra from MDA-10 Bq kg^-1. The concentrations of Cd, Cr and As in monocalcium phosphate were 0.26-14.9 mg kg^-1, 10.3-497 mg kg^-1, and 4.2-5.5 mg kg^-1, respectively. In complete feed, the content of Cd, Cr and As ranged from minimum detectable concentration (MDC) - 0.78 mg kg^-1, 0.30-7.41 mg kg^-1, and 0.09-0.31 mg kg^-1, respectively. In pig manure Cd, Cr and As ranged from 0.8-2.3 mg kg^-1, 2.3-22.2 mg kg^-1, and 0.51-5.45 mg kg^-1, respectively. The obtained results showed that Cd concentration in monocalcium phosphate exceeded the maximum permissible legislative concentrations for phosphate additives. Monocalcium phosphate is the main source of ²³⁸U and Cr in complete feed, while Cd derives from other sources. For that reason excessive use of monocalcium phosphate can lead to high levels of these pollutants in complete feed and consequently in manure.

Evaluation of Heavy Metal Content in Feed, Litter, Meat, Meat Products, Liver, and Table Eggs of Chickens

We assessed the concentrations of Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Se, Co, Cr, Pb, Cd, and Ni in chicken meat and meat products, feed, and litter, as well as laying hens' eggs, feed and litter to monitor the quality of products on the market and their safety for human consumption as judged by recommended daily allowance (RDA) and tolerable upper levels. Samples were chosen as the most popular poultry products in Saudi Arabia. A total of 45 broiler samples of frozen or fresh meat, liver, burger, or frankfurter were chosen from the same brand. Additionally, 60 table eggs from four commercial brands were collected, and the edible parts of these were used to determine levels of minerals and toxic elements. Furthermore, 30 feed and litter samples were collected from the starter, grower, and layer diets of broilers and laying hens. The results indicated that there were significant levels of most of the trace elements and heavy metals in the different meat sources. Furthermore, the liver contained the highest levels of elements, except for Cr, Co, and Ni. The highest Cr level was detected in the fresh meat, followed by frozen meat. Trace elements (Mn and Co) and heavy metals (Ni and Pb) were not detected in either the frozen or the fresh meat. The chicken burger and the frankfurter exhibited similar trace-element and heavy-metal contents, except for Zn and Mn, as the frankfurter showed higher concentrations than the burger. Differences in most of the trace and toxic elements among the different sources of eggs were not found to be significant, except for Zn. Differences between the broiler meat and table eggs were only substantial for Fe and Zn. Fe was significantly higher in meat than in eggs, and the opposite trend was found for Zn. The liver contained higher heavy metals than the eggs, except for Cr. In addition, the burger had higher concentrations of essential (Cu and Co) and heavy metals (Pb and Ni) than the eggs but had lower levels of Zn and Cr. The frankfurter exhibited significantly higher levels of Fe, Cu, Mn, Co, Pb, and Ni than the eggs but lower levels of Zn and Cr. To summarize, Cd, Pb, As, and Se were not detected in the broiler meat or eggs, indicating no risks from these toxic elements. Conversely, the liver exhibited the highest content of heavy metals, except for Cr, indicating that the intake of Pb and Cd was above the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for adults. The meat products exhibited higher Pb, Cd, and Ni levels than the broiler meat and the table eggs, suggesting that they posed a health threat to humans, and the intake of Pb in the meat products was higher than the RDA. Thus, chicken meat and table eggs, which are primary protein sources, are safe sources of human nutrition, while liver and meat products may present potential health hazards through the food chain.

Metabolic activity of Bacillus coagulans R11 and the health benefits of and potential pathogen inhibition by this species in the intestines of laying hens under lead exposure

Probiotics are widely used in agricultural breeding for care and maintenance of animal health, especially Bacillus coagulans, a new and popular species that could replace Lactobacillus. However, lead contamination in feed might influence the beneficial function. In the present study, Bacillus coagulans R11 was used as a model bacterium to investigate the effect of lead on changes in metabolites and genes, which could influence the beneficial function on laying hen. At the laboratory scale, transcriptomics and metabolomics were used to screen the main metabolites and related genes under lead exposure. The results showed that 4-acetamidobutanoic acid, dodecanoic acid, L-3-phenyllactic acid, apigenin and daidzein, which are antioxidants and antibacterial agents, were the main metabolites, even in the 100 ppm lead exposure group (the levels of these metabolites were 1.17-, 1.10-, 4.80-, 1.43- and 1.67-fold higher in the 100 ppm group than in pure culture medium). Twenty-three genes associated with the syntheses of the above 5 main metabolites were identified. Further animal experiments showed that B. coagulans R11 feeding of laying hens under lead exposure could prevent oxidative damage by increasing T-AOC and T-SOD activity and reducing the MDA concentration in serum and reducing the abundances of potential pathogens (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella). Further analysis also showed that the inhibition of pathogen growth was due to the regulation of gene expression, as observed by transcriptomics, and these genes were associated with the abovementioned 5 main metabolites. However, the laying rate decreased by 10.53% compared with that of the control group when the lead exposure concentration was 100 mg/kg. The present study suggested that Bacillus coagulans R11 could help prevent oxidative damage and inhibit pathogen growth in laying hens to maintain a healthy intestinal environment for daily breeding, but under high-lead conditions, Bacillus coagulans R11 feeding could decrease the laying rate.

Ensilability, in vitro and in vivo values of the agro-industrial by-products of artichoke and broccoli

By-products of raw artichoke (RA) (Cynara scolymus L.) and boiled broccoli (BB) (Brassica oleracea, var. italica) were ensiled in plastic bags for 24 days. Then, chemical composition, nutritive characteristics, in vitro rumen degradability, in vivo digestibility and phytosanitary residue contents of the silages were evaluated. The fermentative parameters studied indicated that plastic bags were a suitable method to silage RA and BB by-products. Both silages had a high in vitro rumen DM disappearance at 72 h, although it was higher in the BB silage (96.8 vs. 82.1%). In vivo digestibility of DM was similar and high in both silages (78.5 and 80.0% in RA and BB), but crude protein and NDF digestibilities were higher in the BB silage (83.0 and 88.3% vs. 55.1 and 78.8%). No residues of analysed phytosanitary were found. In conclusion, silages of wastes from the processing of artichoke and broccoli were free from the analysed several phytosanitary residues, their nutritive value made them adequate for feeding ruminant animals and are an environmentally friendly way of disposal of such residues.

Carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk assessment of heavy metals contamination in duck eggs and meat as a warning scenario in Thailand

The aim of this study was to determine the levels of Pb, Cd, Co and Cr in duck eggs and duck meat and to assess the risk of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic effects caused by the consumption of duck products collected in Thailand. The human health risk assessment refers to the formulation of the USEPA standard focused on Estimated Daily Intake (EDI), Incremental Lifetime Cancer Risk (ILCR), Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) and Total Target Hazard Quotient (TTHQ). Ninety-eight percent of duck egg samples in this study were contaminated with Pb, with the average level typically above the standard limit. The EDI evaluation of heavy metal in children was the highest for all metals in the eggs. The calculated ILCR levels of Pb, Cd and Cr in eggs and meat consumption were higher than 10^-4 in children, adults, males, and females. Children were at risk when consuming contaminated duck eggs and the risk was higher than in adults by 3.9 times for Pb, Cd and Cr. This finding suggests that there is a high probability of cancer risk, particularly for children, which is higher than adults by absorption of these carcinogenic heavy metals through eggs. The calculation of THQ if consuming heavy metals contaminated duck eggs and meat in human exposure (70years) could conclude that the THQ male was higher than the female for all metals. However, the calculations of TTHQ for Pb, Cd, Co and Cr contamination in a duck egg and meat scenario for adults, males and females were still below the standard limit of 1, which means there was no risk, although there could be adverse health effects. This study suggested that children should be the focus of long-term monitoring for evaluating the carcinogenicity of these metals, more specifically in males.

Heavy metals concentrations in dairy cow feedstuffs from the south of Iran

Levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, copper and zinc elements in feedstuffs were measured by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. A total of 216 feedstuffs samples including corn silage, alfalfa hay, wheat straw, full ration pellet, wheat bran and barley were collected from polluted and unpolluted regions during four seasons and prepared with wet digestion. Lead and mercury concentrations did not differ significantly in various feedstuffs, but cadmium level was significantly the highest in barley samples (p < 0.05). All feed material samples had lead, cadmium and mercury concentrations well below the maximum levels allowed by the European Union. The lowest and highest levels of both copper and zinc were found in wheat straw and wheat bran, respectively, but their maximum content did not exceed the legal limits. In contrast to the sampling area, season significantly (P < 0.05) affected heavy metal levels, except for zinc, in feedstuffs.

Public health risk of heavy metal residues in meat and edible organs of broiler in an intensive production system of a region in Pakistan

The aim of this study was to find the concentration of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn) in feed, drinking water, and their residues in meat and internal organs in broilers at three different locations in Charsadda. For this purpose, a total of 48 representative water and feed samples and 240 meat and internal organs of broilers were collected. Significantly (P < 0.05) higher concentrations of Zn and Mn were found in feed samples. In water samples assessed for heavy metals, a significantly (P < 0.05) higher concentration of Pb was observed at Umerabad and Kula Dher as compared with Nisatta whereas a significantly (P < 0.05) higher concentration of Ni was recorded at Umerabad as compared with Nisatta and Kula Dher. Similarly, a significantly (P < 0.05) higher concentration of Mn in water was recorded at Kula Dher as compared with Nisatta and Umerabad. The concentration of Pb in water at all locations and the concentration of Ni at Umerabad were above the maximum permissible limits. A significantly (P < 0.05) higher concentration of Pb in the liver, breast, and thigh muscles and a significantly (P < 0.05) higher concentration of Mn in the liver, gizzard, breast, and thigh muscles of broilers were recorded at Kula Dher. A significantly (P < 0.05) higher mean concentration of Pb, Cd, Ni, Mn, and Zn was recorded in the liver as compared with the gizzard, breast, and thigh muscles. It was concluded from the present study that broiler farms near the roadside/canal and waste disposal site/wastewater drains cause accomulaiton of high concentrations of some heavy metals in meat and internal organs of broiler birds.

Hydrophobized Reversed-Phase Adsorbent for Protection of Dairy Cattle against Lipophilic Toxins from Diet. Efficiensy in Vitro and in Vivo

The steady growth of inflammatory diseases of the udder in dairy cattle forces us to look for the causes of this phenomenon in the context of growing chemical pollution of the environment and feeds. Within the framework of this concept, an analysis was made of the polarity level of the three toxic impurity groups, which are commonly present in dairy cattle feeds. These impurities are presented by mycotoxins, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and persistent organic pollutants (POP). It has been determined that 46% of studied mycotoxins (n = 1500) and 100% of studied polyaromatic hydrocarbons (n = 45) and persistent organic pollutants (n = 55) are lipophilic compounds, prone to bioaccumulation. A comparative evaluation of the sorption capacity of four adsorbents of a different nature and polarity with respect to the simplest PAH, naphthalene and lipophilic estrogenic mycotoxin, zearalenone in vitro has been carried out. The highest efficiency in these experiments was demonstrated by the reversed-phase polyoctylated polysilicate hydrogel (POPSH). The use of POPSH in a herd of lactating cows significantly reduced the transfer of aldrin, dieldrin and heptachlor, typical POPs from the “dirty dozen”, to the milk. The relevance of protecting the main functional systems of animals from the damaging effects of lipophilic toxins from feeds using non-polar adsorbents, and the concept of evaluating the effectiveness of various feed adsorbents for dairy cattle by their influence on the somatic cell count in the collected milk are discussed.

Poultry eggs as a source of PCDD/Fs, PCBs, PBDEs and PBDD/Fs

Regardless of the country or region of the world, poultry eggs are one of the most important components of the human diet. Nutritional value is derived from them, but chicken eggs can be contaminated with POPs. The aim of the study was to compare the impact of different types of chicken husbandry system on bioaccumulation of selected POPs. The HRGC/HRMS method was used for determination of 58 congeners of chlorinated and brominated halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons. The influence of the farm rearing system on concentration and congener profile was seen for most groups of tested contaminants, of which the eggs were a source. Human exposure to dioxins and dioxin-like compounds as a result of consumption of contaminated eggs should be a subject of concern. The occurrence of PCDD/Fs, PCBs, PBDEs, and PBDD/Fs in commonly consumed foodstuffs such as eggs supports the need for further research on environmental pollutants and for determination of exposure as the result of their occurrence in different food categories.

Blood and hair as non-invasive trace element biological indicators in growing rabbits

<p>The suitability of blood and hair as non-invasive tools to monitor trace element contents was studied in 48 Hyla male growing rabbits. Three diets with increasing organic selenium (Se) addition (0.1, 0.5 and 2.5 mg/kg) were used to induce alterations in the concentrations of trace elements vs. an unsupplemented diet. In blood, a linear decrease in Co (P&lt;0.001), Cu (<em>P</em>&lt;0.001), Mn (<em>P</em>&lt;0.05), Zn (<em>P</em>&lt;0.05), Sb (<em>P</em>&lt;0.001), As (<em>P</em>&lt;0.001), Cr (<em>P</em>&lt;0.001), Mo (<em>P</em>&lt;0.001), Ni (<em>P</em>&lt;0.001) and Cd (<em>P</em>&lt;0.001) concentrations with increasing dietary Se was observed. In hair, a cubic effect of dietary Se on Co (<em>P</em>&lt;0.01), Cu (<em>P</em>&lt;0.05), Mn (<em>P</em>&lt;0.001), Pb (<em>P</em>&lt;0.05), Mo (<em>P</em>&lt;0.05) and Cd (<em>P</em>&lt;0.05) concentrations was found, while As, Cr and Ni concentrations decreased linearly (<em>P</em>&lt;0.01, <em>P</em>&lt;0.01 and <em>P</em>&lt;0.001, respectively) with increasing dietary Se. Selenium was negatively correlated to Sb, As, Cr, Mo, Ni and Cd, (P&lt;0.001) in blood, and to As (<em>P</em>&lt;0.05), Cr, Ni (<em>P</em>&lt;0.01) and Pb (P&lt;0.05) in hair. The contents of Se, As, Cr and Ni in blood were highly correlated (<em>P</em>&lt;0.001) to those in hair. Blood appeared to be more sensitive than hair in detecting small changes in the trace element profile in rabbits, as was indicated by the discriminant analysis. In conclusion, blood and hair can be suitable biological indicators of essential, toxic and potentially toxic trace element status in rabbits, particularly when used complementarily.</p>

Levels and trends of PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs in Polish animal feeds, 2004-2017

Feed control is essential for the safety of animal-origin food. It is estimated that more than 80% of human exposure to dioxins and related compounds comes from the consumption of animal-origin food, and farm animals are exposed to dioxins mainly through the feed. A monitoring programme for dioxins (polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs)) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs) was conducted in the Polish feed market between 2004 and 2017. Using two complementary ISO 17025-accredited analytical methods (bioassay and high-resolution gas chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRGC/HRMS)), 2919 samples of plant, animal and minerals origin were analysed. The total number of samples exceeding the maximum limit (ML) was 52, which is 1.8% of all tested samples. They all contained PCDD/Fs in concentrations over the ML, and in 16 samples the limit for the sum of PCDD/F/DL-PCBs was also exceeded. The highest dioxins level was found in feedstuffs derived from Baltic fish; the fish oil was followed by fish meal. Low-chlorinated furans (2.3,7,8 TCDF, 2,3,4,7,8-PCDF and 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDF) were dominant and these congeners accounted for the toxicity expressed in WHO toxic equivalents (WHO-TEQ). In this category, 155 out of the 498 samples (32%) exceeded the action threshold (AT) for PCDD/Fs and in 10 samples (2.0%) for DL-PCBs. Non-compliant fish meals were found in 34 (5.6%) of the tested samples, in 0.7% of compound feeds, and in 1.5% of plant-origin materials. Seven dried plant-derived materials contained PCDD/F level above ML, including alfalfa, maize, apple, basil and beet pulp pellets containing molasses. The dry vegetable materials were mostly contaminated by the 2,3,7,8-furans, the congeners arising from a faulty drying process. No significant time trend can be seen. From the obtained results, it can be concluded that concentrations of PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs in Polish feed materials were sufficiently low to ensure low concentrations in animal-derived products.

Mycobiota and Mycotoxic Contamination of Feed Cereals

The cereals are a suitable substrate for the growth of microscopic filamentous fungi. Micromycetes are capable of reducing the nutritional value of feedstuff and they can produce several mycotoxins. The most frequent genera of microscopic filamentous fungi are Fusarium, Penicillium, Alternaria and Aspergillus. The contamination by microscopic fungi and mycotoxins was determinated in 56 samples of feed cereals originating from the Slovak Republic. The most common genera of fungi detected in the feed cereals included: Alternaria (67.8 %), Fusarium (44.6 %), Penicillium (39.2 %), Mucor (30.3 %), Rhizopus (28.5 %), Cladosporium (21.4 %), Scopulariopsis (8.9 %) and Aspergillus (1.7 %). Deoxynivalenol was present in 24 samples (42.8 %) and zearalenone in 15 samples (26.7 %). The values of both mycotoxins did not reach the regulatory limits and thus they do not pose a risk to livestock nutrition.

Multi-drug ultraperformance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry method to quantify antimicrobials in feeding stuffs at carry-over level

RATIONALE

Carry-over is an undesirable contamination from medicated to non-medicated during the production of feedingstuffs. In 2014 the European Parliament and the Council started working to produce a new regulatory act that will fix tolerable levels of drugs by carry-over in non-target feed to have a harmonized practice to evaluate this contamination by veterinary drugs.

METHODS

We developed a rapid and effective multi-analyte method coupling ultraperformance liquid chromatography to tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC/MS/MS) for the detection of 37 drugs belonging to different classes of antimicrobials (sulfonamides, tetracyclines, macrolides, quinolones, pleuromutilins and streptogramins) in feeds at carry-over levels. The method was in-house validated in the concentration range 0.25-2.0 mg kg^-1 , according to the Regulation (UE) 2017/625 requirements and the guideline included in the Commission Decision 2002/657/EC for official methods.

RESULTS

The UPLC/MS/MS method allows the determination of the antimicrobials in 15 min, by providing results compliant to the criteria established by the European Commission legislation. All the analytes showed a limit of detection (LOD) in the range 2.0-5.0 μg kg^-1 and a limit of quantification (LOQ) at 10.0 μg kg^-1 ; oxytetracycline, doxycycline, spiramycin and virginiamycin have a higher LOD and LOQ (15.0 μg kg^-1 ; 30.0 μg kg^-1 , respectively). Recoveries were satisfactory ranging from 90.4% to 103.1%.

CONCLUSIONS

The method is characterized by an effective clean-up of all drugs without the use of large sample size and organic solvent extraction.

Elaboration, Rietveld Refinements and Vibrational Spectroscopic Studies of a new Lacunar Apatite Series: NaPb3-x CaxCd(PO4)3 (0 ≤ × ≤ 1)

The solid–solution series NaPb3-xCaxCd(PO4)3 (0 ≤ × ≤ 1) has been synthesised and crystallised in the hexagonal system with the P63/m space group. A refinement study using the Rietveld method shows good agreement between the observed and calculated patterns. The structure can be described as built up from [PO4]3- tetrahedra and Pb2+/Cd2+/Ca2+ of six-fold coordination cavities (6h positions), which delimit void hexagonal tunnels running along [001]. These tunnels are connected by cations of mixed sites (4f) which are half occupied by Pb2+/Cd2+/Ca2+ and half by Na+ cations. The vibrational spectra of all the compositions are similar and show some linear shifts as a function of the composition towards lower values due to the substitutions of Pb2+ by Ca2+ with a smaller radius.

Heavy metal concentrations in bovine tissues (muscle, liver and kidney) and their relationship with heavy metal contents in consumed feed

Toxic (lead, cadmium and mercury) and essential trace (copper and zinc) metals were measured in muscle, liver and kidney samples of bovine and their relationships with heavy metal concentrations in consumed feed were studied. A total of 216 tissue samples from 72 cows and 216 feed samples from 18 farms were collected during four seasons and analyzed for heavy metals by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry after wet digestion. The arithmetic mean concentrations (mg/Kg wet weight) of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and mercury were respectively, 0.221, 0.028 and 0.003 in muscle, 0.273, 0.047 and 0.002 in liver and 0.244, 0.114 and 0.003 in kidney. All measured concentrations (with the exception of Pb in muscle) were below the European Union maximum residual limits (MRL). The Cd contents of the kidney were significantly higher than which observed in other tissues. Although, copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) levels in all of samples were below MRL, but results showed that many cattles may be suffering from Cu and/or Zn deficiency. Significant and positive correlations between Pb (p < 0.05, r = 0.163) and Cd (p < 0.01, r = 0.303) concentrations in feed and studied organs were observed. As a considerable amount of metals above MRL were noticed in our study, continuous monitoring of these metals is recommended to avoid hazardous transfer to human through the food of animal origin.

Relationship between the content of chlorinated hydrocarbons and fatty acid composition of milk fat

Introduction

Reports that the presence of persistent organic pollutants in fat may affect fatty acid metabolism prompted this research aiming to study the relationship between the contents of γ-HCH and DDT, DDE, DDD, and ΣDDT, and fatty acid composition of milk fat.

Material and Methods

The material consisted of 50 samples of cow and mare milk, collected in 2015. Ludwicki’s and the Röse-Gottlieb and IDF Standard methods were used to prepare the samples. Statistical analyses were conducted using Statistica 12.0.

Results

There was a negative correlation between the content of γ-HCH and C16:1, C17:1, C18:1c9, C18:1c9c12, and ΣMUFA in cow milk fat and C13:0, C14:0, and C10:1 in mare milk fat. A positive correlation was observed between γ-HCH and C6:0 to C12:0, C14:0, C18:1t16, and ΣSFA in cow milk fat, and between this compound and C14:0iso, C16:1, C17:1, C18:1c9,11, and ΣMUFA in mare milk fat. A negative correlation between the contents of ΣDDT and C16:1, C17:1, C18:1c9,11,13 and ΣMUFA in cow milk fat and C16:0iso, C17:0, and C18:3 in mare milk fat was noted. A positive correlation was found between the contents of ΣDDT and saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids and ΣSFA and ΣPUFA in cow milk fat, and C18:2c9c12 in mare milk fat.

Conclusion

The correlation between the content of selected organochlorine compounds and the composition of fatty acids in cow and mare milk fat indicates the strong influence of these environmental pollutants on the nutritional value of milk fat.

Public health risk of trace metals in fresh chicken meat products on the food markets of a major production region in southern China

Because most chickens are reared in intensive farms, where a range of feed additives are used routinely, concerns have been raised on the potential public health risk of chicken product consumption. This study was conducted to characterize the contents of trace metals in fresh chicken tissues (354 samples) on the food markets in Guangdong province of southern China, a major region of chicken production with heavy per capita chicken consumption, and to assess the public health risk from chronic dietary exposure to the trace metals through chicken consumption. With the exception of Cr, Ni, and Pb, the contents of trace metals were generally higher in the chicken giblets (livers, gizzards, hearts, and kidneys) compared to muscles (breasts and drumsticks). Chicken tissues from the urban markets generally contained higher levels of As, Cu, Mn, and Zn than those from the rural markets, while the contents of Pb were typically higher in the chicken muscles from the rural markets. Results of statistical analyses indicate that Cu, Zn, and As in the chicken tissues derived mainly from the feeds, which is consistent with the widespread use of Cu, Zn, and phenylarsenic compounds as feed supplements/additives in intensive poultry farming. No non-carcinogenic risk is found with the consumption of fresh chicken meat products on the food markets, while approximately 70% of the adult population in Guangzhou and 30% of those in Lianzhou have bladder and lung cancer risk above the serious or priority level (10^-4), which arises from the inorganic arsenic contained in the chicken tissues. These findings indicate that the occurrence of inorganic arsenic at elevated levels in chicken tissues on the food markets in Guangdong province poses a significant public health risk, thus the use of phenylarsenic feed additives in China's poultry farming should be significantly reduced and eventually phased out.

Accumulation of α-hexabromocyclododecane (α-HBCDD) in tissues of fast- and slow-growing broilers (Gallus domesticus)

The aim of the current study was to describe the fate of ingested α-hexabromocyclododecane (α-HBCDD) in fast-growing (FG) and slow-growing (SG) broilers, through an exposure to a dietary concentration of 50 ng α-HBCDD g^-1 feed during 42 and 84 days, respectively. Depuration parameters were assessed in SG broilers successively exposed during 42 days and depurated during 42 days. At market age, SG broilers had ingested 42% more feed than FG broilers, while their body weight gain per g of feed ingested was 34% lower. No isomerization of α- to β- or γ-HBCDD forms occurred, while OH-HBCDD was identified as a product of α-HBCDD metabolism. Irrespective of the strain, abdominal fat displayed the highest α-HBCDD concentration on a lipid weight basis, followed leg muscles and then breast muscle, liver and plasma. The accumulation ratios of α-HBCDD were slightly higher in SG (6.7, 2.1, 2.6 and 9.9 in leg muscles, breast muscle, liver and abdominal fat, respectively) than in FG broilers (5.2, 2.2, 1.1 and 8.4, respectively). The elimination half-lives in SG broilers were 20, 12 and 19 d in leg muscles, breast muscle and abdominal fat, respectively, to which dilution through growth contributed for around 50%. The overall assimilation efficiency of α-HBCDD was estimated at 58 and 50% in FG and SG broilers, respectively, while 22 and 17% of α-HBCDD ingested were estimated to be eliminated in excreta as metabolites.

Modelling the dynamics of toxicity associated with aflatoxins in foods and feeds

In this paper, we developed a mathematical model to describethe dynamics of Aflatoxins in plants, animals, and humans. Fourequilibrium points were found, and their stability analyses wereconducted using threshold quantities. If both are less than one, thestandardized toxic limit is not exceeded, while if both are greater thanone it is exceeded in both animals and humans. Standardized toxic limitis exceeded in a relevant host (animals or humans) when their respectivethreshold quantity is greater than one. Numerical simulations werecarried out to support the analytic results. The need to use experimentaldata in the model is also shown. This could ease satisfactoryharmonization of acceptable standards and facilitate international tradeof food and feeds.

Heavy metal contamination of animal feedstuffs – a new survey

Contamination of feedstuffs and ingredients with heavy metals poses a major problem for animal health and the transmission of toxic substances within the human food chain, as these elements can be accumulated into meat, egg and milk products. This paper reports on the levels of the three metals, arsenic, cadmium and lead, that exceed EU permitted levels, within premixes and complete feeds (total of 3417 samples) destined for a variety of animal species and taken from different countries during the period 2009–2016. For this period, 20% of all samples were contaminated at levels above the EU limit. In complete feed, ruminants were at the highest risk of exposure with 47% of samples being contaminated. Lead posed the major risk for minerals and cadmium posed the highest risk for premixes during the sampling period. When compared by country, contamination levels varied widely, with the highest contamination determined for Canada with 50% of samples being above the EU limit. To mitigate problems with heavy metals in animal feeds, due diligence in terms of sampling and testing is a necessary tool to evaluate level of risk. Research has shown that trace minerals can be sources of these heavy metals so the industry should be more diligent regarding their provider's quality guarantees. In addition, feeds identified with contamination should not be fed to animals to ensure that these heavy metal toxins are not passed into edible food products, thus providing safety in the food chain.

Radioactivity levels in the mostly local foodstuff consumed by residents of the high level natural radiation areas of Ramsar, Iran

Among High Level Natural Radiation Areas (HLNRAs) all over the world, the northern coastal city of Ramsar has been considered enormously important. Many studies have measured environmental radioactivity in Ramsar, however, no survey has been undertaken to measure concentrations in the diets of residents. This study determined the ²²⁶Ra activity concentration in the daily diet of people of Ramsar. The samples were chosen from both normal and high level natural radiation areas and based on the daily consumption patterns of residents. About 150 different samples, which all are local and have the highest consumption, were collected during the four seasons. In these samples, after washing and drying and pretreatment, the radionuclide was determined by α-spectrometry. The mean radioactivity concentration of ²²⁶Ra ranged between 5 ± 1 mBq kg^-1 wet weight (chino and meat) to 725 ± 480 mBq kg^-1 for tea dry leaves. The ²²⁶Ra activity concentrations compared with the reference values of UNSCEAR appear to be higher in leafy vegetables, milk and meat product. Of the total daily dietary ²²⁶Ra exposure for adults in Ramsar, the largest percentage was from eggs. The residents consuming eggs from household chickens may receive an elevated dose in the diet.

Tetracyclines in Food and Feedingstuffs: From Regulation to Analytical Methods, Bacterial Resistance, and Environmental and Health Implications

Antibiotics are widely used as growth promoters in animal husbandry; among them, the tetracyclines are a chemical group of relevance, due to their wide use in agriculture, surpassing in quantities applied almost every other antibiotic family. Seeing the considerable amounts of tetracyclines used worldwide, monitoring of these antibiotics is paramount. Advances must be made in the analysis of antibiotics to assess correct usage and dosage of tetracyclines in food and feedstuffs and possible residues in pertinent environmental samples. The tetracyclines are still considered a clinically relevant group of antibiotics, though dissemination of tolerance and resistance determinants have limited their use. This review focuses on four different aspects: (i) tetracyclines, usage, dosages, and regulatory issues that govern their food-related application, with particular attention to the prohibitions and restrictions that several countries have enforced in recent years by agencies from both the United States and the European Union, (ii) analytical methods for tetracyclines, determination, and residues thereof in feedstuffs and related matrices with an emphasis on the most relevant and novel techniques, including both screening and confirmatory methods, (iii) tetracycline resistance and tetracycline-resistant bacteria in feedstuff, and (iv) environmental and health risks accompanying the use of tetracyclines in animal nutrition. In the last two cases, we discuss the more relevant undesirable effects that tetracyclines exert over bacterial communities and nontarget species including unwanted effects in farmers.

Education, fish consumption, well water, chicken coops, and cooking fires: Using biogeochemistry and ethnography to study exposure of children from Yucatan, Mexico to metals and arsenic

Around the world, the nocuous health effects of exposure to environmental contaminants, especially metals and Arsenic, are a growing health concern. This is especially the case in Mexico, where corruption and ineffective political administration are contributing to increasing deterioration in the environment. Importantly, shallow soils and the karstic nature of bedrock in Yucatan, Mexico make the subterranean aquifer especially susceptible to contamination because contaminates are carried to it with little resistance. Given these environmental conditions, we developed a multi/interdisciplinary project to evaluate the impact of metal and Arsenic pollution on a sample of 107 children, ages 6 to 9years, living in the urban areas of Progreso, Merida, and Ticul, in the State of Yucatan using urine and blood samples. In addition, ethnographic research was carried out in the homes of the children that participated in the study to identify potential exposure pathways. This research proved invaluable because the complexity of human social organization, lifestyles, and geographical patterning create an intricate array of exposure pathways that vary across social sectors and geographic space. In the following article, we use nonparametric univariate statistical analysis to reveal potential exposure pathways among sub-populations included in our sample. These analyses show that children from poor/marginal families tend to be exposed to Copper, Lead, and Nickel; whereas, children, from wealthier families, tend to be exposed to Cadmium, Arsenic, and inorganic Copper (Copper Sulfate).

How physical alteration of technic materials affects mobility and phytoavailabilty of metals in urban soils?

One fundamental characteristic distinguishing urban soils from natural soils is the presence of technic materials or artefacts underlining the influence of human activity. These technic materials have different nature (organic or inorganic) and origins. They contribute to the enrichment of the soil solution by metallic trace elements. The present study aims to determine the effect of physical alteration of the technic coarse fraction on the bioavailability of metallic trace elements in urban Technosols. In general, results show that physical alteration increases the metallic trace elements water extractible concentrations of technic materials. The ability of lettuce to accumulate metallic trace elements, even at low concentrations, underlines the capacity of technic materials to contaminate the anthropised soil solution by bioavailable metals. The highest metal levels, accumulated by the various organs of the lettuce (leaves and roots), were measured in plants grown in presence of metallic particles mixtures. This indicates that the majority of metallic trace elements released by this technic constituent is bioavailable and explains the low plant biomass obtained. The abundant part of metallic trace elements released by the other technic constituents (building materials, bones, wood, plastic and fabric-paper) remains less bioavailable. Under anthropised soil conditions, technic materials have a significant effect on the metallic trace elements behavior. They impact the flow of these metallic elements in Technosols, which can increase their bioavailability and, therefore, the contamination of the food chain.

Assessment of health risk from organochlorine xenobiotics in goat milk for consumers in Poland

The occurrence of organochlorine xenobiotics in goat milk is a one of bioindicators of environmental pollution, and, consequently, food contamination. This study estimates contamination level of goat milk produced at two organic farms in years 2009-2013. Analysis covered determination of 18 organochlorine pesticides, including HCH isomers (α, β, γ, δ), DDT and its metabolites, endosulfan and its derivatives, and methoxychlor. Pesticide content was determined using GCMS method. The detected levels of organochlorine residues in goat milk were low, in most cases below 8 ng g(-1) lipids. Among HCH isomers, γ- and β-HCH occurred in the highest concentrations, up to 4.85 ng g(-1) lipids. While among DDT metabolites p,p'-DDD dominated, up to 7.86 ng g(-1) lipids. The detected residues were below the current maximum residue limits (MRLs) for the pesticides. Considering the average milk consumption in Poland, the goat milk from both farms was safe for consumers' health. The lifetime average daily dose (LADD) for the sum of the compounds under study ranged within 1.73 × 10(-5)-1.06 × 10(-4) mg kg bw(-1) d(-1) and were well below the acceptable daily intake (ADI) for particular compounds. This was also confirmed by the values of hazard quotient (HQ), which were very low and ranged within 3.42 × 10(-3)-5.55 × 10(-2).