Public health risk associated with the co-occurrence of mycotoxins in spices consumed in Sri Lanka

The occurrence and human health risk assessment of total and aflatoxin B1 in selected food commodities in Bhutan

Aflatoxins are mycotoxins that contaminate staple foods globally and pose a significant health risk. To the best of our knowledge, information on the occurrence of aflatoxins in Bhutanese diets is scarce. This study aimed to estimate the aflatoxin levels in selected foodstuffs in Bhutan and determine the health risk associated with aflatoxin exposure. Ten different types of food commodities were randomly collected from farmers' markets, shelves of supermarkets, and wholesale and retail shops from 20 districts of the country. The samples were subjected to analysis by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for both total aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1 and G2) and aflatoxin B1. Among the 315 samples included, 48.81% and 79.35% were positive for total aflatoxins and aflatoxin B1, respectively. The overall mean total aflatoxin concentration was 11.49 ± 12.83 µg/kg, and that for B1 was 17.62 ± 23.99 µg/kg. The most prevalent food commodity with the highest aflatoxin contamination was chili products. In addition, the estimated daily intake and margin of exposure to aflatoxin B1 via the consumption of chili products ranged from 0.98 to 5.34 ng kg-1 bw day-1 and from 74.90 to 408.10, indicating a risk for public health. The liver cancer risk was estimated to be 0.01 and 0.007 cancers per year per 100,000 population resulting from the consumption of chili products. The present findings revealed the presence of total aflatoxins and aflatoxin B1 in the selected samples. The margin of exposure values was exorbitant, demanding a stringent public health measure. Notably, these results suggest the need for routine monitoring of aflatoxin contamination in the region and stress rigorous safety management strategies to reduce exposure.

Evaluating aflatoxins and Sudan dyes contamination in red chili and turmeric and its health impacts on consumer safety of Lahore, Pakistan

Spices are contaminated with aflatoxins (AFs) and Sudan dyes which are classified as class Group 1 and Group 3 human carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) respectively and their prolonged exposure may raise a human health concern. A total of 474 samples of red chili and turmeric were collected from Lahore city and were subjected to quantitative and qualitative AFs and Sudan dyes analysis by thin layer chromatography (TLC) respectively. The number of red chili and turmeric samples with ≥10 μg/kg of total AFs (European Union standard limit) were 70% and 33% respectively and considered unfit for human consumption. The presence of Sudan dyes in red chili and turmeric samples was 67% and 27% respectively. The mean estimated daily intake (EDI) among females and males was 0.0019 μg/kg bw/day, 0.0012 μg/kg bw/day for red chili, and 0.0008 μg/kg bw/day, 0.0006 μg/kg bw/day for turmeric respectively. The mean value of margin of exposure (MOE) among females and males for ingestion of AFs-contaminated red chili and turmeric was 210.25, 332.13, 501.02, and 699.31 respectively. Therefore, the current study demands a continuous monitoring plan and the implementation of novel techniques to enhance the product's quality and protect public health.

Food aflatoxin exposure assessment in Sichuan Province, China

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. In total, 318 samples, including grains, red chilli, red chilli powder, and vegetable protein beverages, were collected from 13 cities of Sichuan Province, China, in 2022. AFs were detected in all types of foods except for wheat flour, the highest incidence was found in red chilli powder (75.0%). The concentrations of AF_tot (the total aflatoxins) ranged between ND (not detected) and 54.20 μg kg^-1. It was observed that the AFs profile was dominated by AFB₁. The AFB₁ content ranged from ND to 52.60 μg kg^-1 across food types. According to EU maximum limits (ML) of AFs, 2.8% of samples exceeded the AF_tot limits. For AFB₁, 0.4% and 4.3% of samples exceeded the China and EU limits, respectively. In this study, packaging types and sampling sites were selected as parameters influence food aflatoxin contamination. Nevertheless, there was no significant difference between different samples. According to exposure assessment and risk characterization, AF_tot daily exposure was shown to be 0.263 and 283.936 ng kg^-1 bw for the lower and upper exposure. The MOE value derived from consumption grains and red chilli pepper products were generally bellow 10 000, and liver cancer cases based on these two foods consumption could range from < 0.001 to 0.16 cases per year/10 000 persons.

Public health risk due to aflatoxin and fumonisin contamination in rice in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Mycotoxin contamination in rice can lead to a health risk for consumers. In this study, the health risk among different age groups of Vietnamese population in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam was evaluated through rice consumption. Total aflatoxins (AFs) and fumonisins (FBs) in raw rice samples (n = 50) were analyzed using an ELISA method. A survey (n = 155) was used to collect data on rice consumption and consumer practices for the evaluation of mycotoxin exposure. Results showed that the frequency of AFs and FBs contamination was 60 and 74% with the average concentrations in raw rice ranging from 1.88–4.00 ng/g and 227–290 ng/g from the lower bound (LB) to the upper bound (UB), respectively. The average AFs exposure due to rice consumption was estimated from 0.81 to 2.44 ng/kg bw/day at scenarios LB – UB with the medium bound (MB) of 2.10, 1.60, 1.92 and 1.23 ng/kg bw/day for children, adolescents, adults and elderly, respectively. These values ranged from 343 to 724 ng/kg bw/day with respect to FBs (scenarios LB - UB), which are below the provisional maximum tolerable daily intakes (PMTDI) value (2000 ng/kg bw/day). The margin of exposure (MoE) to AFs ranged from 160 to 1585,179-2669,149–2175 and 206–3480 for children, adolescent, adults and elderly, respectively from UB - LB, indicating a high health risk for this carcinogenic hazard since the values are so lower than 10,000 (safe limit). However, for FBs, MoE value ranged from 105 to 575 (UB-LB) for all groups, which are higher compared to 100 (safe limit), indicating no risk for public health. The mean cancer risk due to estimated AFs exposure at LB - UB was 0.05–0.13 cases/year/100,000 individuals with MB of 0.08–0.13 cases/year/100,000 people for all four age groups. This study provides new insights into probabilistic risk assessment and potential health impact of mycotoxins in rice in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

Simultaneous Detection of Ochratoxin A and Aflatoxins in Industrial and Traditional Red and isot Pepper Flakes along with Dietary Exposure Risk Assessment

This study focused on the co-occurrence of aflatoxins (AFs) and ochratoxin A (OTA) in traditionally and industrially dried red pepper flakes (DRPFs) and isot pepper flakes (IPFs). Following the multitoxin immunoaffinity column (IAC) clean-up, high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD) was used to quantify AFs and OTA. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) values were 0.11 and 0.18 μg kg^-1 (AFB₁), 0.04 and 0.08 μg kg^-1 (AFB₂), 0.13 and 0.18 μg kg^-1 (AFG₁), 0.04 and 0.11 μg kg^-1 (AFG₂), and 0.10 and 0.21 μg kg^-1 (OTA), respectively. AFB_1, AFB₂, AFG₁, and OTA were found to be positive in 93, 74, 17, and 94% of all samples, respectively. The contamination levels in positive samples ranged from 0.23 to 38.69, 0.04 to 2.14, 0.13 to 0.88, and 0.18 to 52.19 μg kg^-1 for AFB₁, AFB₂, AFG₁, and OTA, respectively, while no AFG₂ was found above the detection limit (0.04 μg kg^-1). None of the industrial isot peppers exceeded the European Union limits, while the levels of AFB₁ (5 μg kg^-1), total AFs (10 μg kg^-1), and OTA (20 μg kg^-1) of the traditional peppers were above the limit by 30% (16/54), 26% (14/54), and 4% (2/54), respectively. Co-occurrence of AFB₁-AFB₂-OTA was the most frequent, accounting for 54% (29/54) of all samples. At the upper bound (UB), estimated average exposure to AFB₁, total AFs, and OTA was determined to be 0.175, 0.189, and 0.124 ng kg^-1 bw day^-1 in all samples, respectively. The margin of exposure (MoE) value of AFB₁ and total AFs was found to be 977 and 909, indicating high health concerns compared to OTA (MoE >10,000). AFB₁ and total AFs may result in 0.0058 and 0.0062 liver cancer cases/100,000 person/year at UB, respectively, and weekly OTA exposure was 0.868 ng kg^-1 bw, well below the provisional tolerable weekly intake, hence not of health concern. AFs exposure could endanger health, whereas OTA posed no toxicological concerns through dried red pepper consumption.

Prevalence, Identification and Mycotoxigenic Potential of Fungi in Common Spices Used in Local Malaysian Cuisines

Spices are widely used in various cuisines in Malaysia to enhance the flavour and aroma. However, spices are susceptible to fungal infection, leading to mycotoxin contamination if the storage conditions are favourable for fungal growth. Thus, this study aimed to identify fungal species in spices commonly used in local Malaysian cuisines and determine their prevalence and mycotoxigenic potential. A total of 110 spice samples consisting of cumin, fennel, coriander, peppers (black pepper and white pepper), chillies (dried chilli, chilli paste and chilli powder), cinnamon, star anise, cloves, curry powder and korma powder were randomly purchased from retail markets in Penang. The samples were analysed for the total fungal count (ground spices) and the incidence of fungal infection (whole spices). The fungal species isolated from spices were identified based on morphological and molecular approaches, and the mycotoxigenic potential was determined using the Coconut Cream Agar method. The results showed that coriander seeds (ground) recorded the highest total fungal count (ADM 3.08 log CFU/g; DG18 3.14 log CFU/g), while black pepper (whole) recorded the highest incidence of fungal infection (94%). Interestingly, star anise and cloves were free from fungal contamination. The mycotoxigenic fungi of A. flavus and A. niger recorded the highest isolation frequency in ground and whole spices. These findings indicate the risk of mycotoxin exposure to consumers due to the high consumption of spices in local Malaysian cuisine.

Occurrence and risk assessment of sterigmatocystin in agricultural products and processed foods in Korea

Sterigmatocystin (STC), a carcinogenic mycotoxin, is known to be produced during the biosynthetic pathway of aflatoxin B₁. STC in various foods was determined by LC-MS/MS and its risks were assessed. The analytical method was validated in different food categories, and the performance was acceptable based on the criteria of AOAC. A total 1,135 samples (613 agricultural products and 522 processed foods) were analysed, and STC was detected in 46 samples, indicating a detection rate of 4.1%. STC was found in the range of 0.08-10.07 ng/g, and the detection rates of STC were 3.9% in agricultural products and 4.2% in processed foods. The exposure to STC by average consumption of foods was estimated to 0.09 ng/kg b.w./day. The margin of exposure (MOE) approach was applied to assess the risk of STC, and MOE for the whole population was over 1 × 10⁶. Exposure to STC from the consumption of foods distributed in Korea is unlikely to cause human health problems.

Risk of dietary and breastmilk exposure to mycotoxins among lactating women and infants 2-4 months in northern India

Mycotoxins are carcinogenic secondary metabolites of fungi that have been linked to infant growth faltering. In this study, we quantified co-occurring mycotoxins in breast milk and food samples from Haryana, India, and characterized determinants of exposure. Deterministic risk assessment was conducted for mothers and infants. We examined levels of eight mycotoxins (Aflatoxin B1 , B2 , G1 , G2 , M1 , M2 ; Ochratoxin A, B) in 100 breast milk samples (infants 2-4 months) using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1 ), fumonisin B1 (FB1 ) and deoxynivalenol (DON) were detected in several food items (n = 298) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. We report novel data on the presence of mycotoxins in breast milk samples from India. Whereas breast milk concentrations (AFM1 median: 13.7; range: 3.9-1200 ng/L) remain low, AFM1 was detected above regulatory limits in 27% of animal milk samples. Additionally, 41% of infants were above provisional maximum tolerable daily intake (PMTDI) limits for AFM1 due to consumption of breast milk (mean: 3.04, range: 0.26-80.7 ng kg-1 bw day-1 ). Maternal consumption of breads (p < 0.05) was associated with breast milk AFM1 exposure. AFB1 (μg/kg) was detected in dried red chilies (15.7; 0-302.3), flour (3.13; 0-214.9), groundnuts (0; 0-249.1), maize (56.0; 0-836.7), pearl millet (1.85; 0-160.2), rice (0; 0-195.6), wheat (1.9; 0-196.0) and sorghum (0; 0-63.5). FB1 (mg/kg) was detected in maize (0; 0-61.4), pearl millet (0; 0-35.4) and sorghum (0.95; 0-33.2). DON was not detected in food samples. Mothers in our study exceeded PMTDI recommendations for AFB1 due to consumption of rice and flour (mean: 75.81; range: 35.2-318.2 ng kg-1 bw day-1 ). Our findings show the presence of Aflatoxin B1 and M1 at various levels of the food chain and in breast milk, with estimated intakes exceeding PMTDI recommendations. Aflatoxins are known carcinogens and have also been linked to stunting in children. Their presence across the food system and in breast milk is concerning, thus warranting further research to replicate and expand on our findings and to understand implications for maternal and child health.

Modelling the effect of temperature and water activity on the growth rate of Aspergillus flavus and aflatoxin production in peanut meal extract agar

Aspergillus flavus is the predominant species that produce aflatoxins in stored peanuts under favourable conditions. This study aimed to describe the growth and aflatoxin production by two A. flavus strains isolated from imported raw peanuts and to model the effects of temperature and a_w on their colony growth rate as a function of temperature and a_w in Peanut Meal Extract Agar (PMEA). A full factorial design with seven a_w levels (0.85-0.98 a_w) and five temperature levels (20-40 °C) was used to investigate the growth and aflatoxin production. Colony diameter was measured daily for 28 days while AFB₁ and total aflatoxin were determined on day 3, 7, 14, and 21. The maximum colony growth rate, μ_max (mm/day) was estimated by using the primary model of Baranyi, and the μ_max was then fitted to the secondary model; second-order polynomial and linear Arrhenius-Davey to describe the colony growth rate as a function of temperature and a_w. The results indicated that both strains failed to grow at temperature of 20 °C with a_w <0.94 and a_w of 0.85 for all temperatures except 30 °C. The highest growth rate was observed at 30 °C, with 0.98 a_w for both strains. The analysis of variance showed a significant effect of strain, temperature, and a_w on the fungal growth and aflatoxin production (p < 0.05). Furthermore, both secondary models were in good agreement with the observed μ_max. However, the polynomial model was found to be a better predictor of the experimental data. A similar pattern was observed in aflatoxin production but in a narrower range of temperature (25-35 °C) and a_w (0.92-0.98 a_w). The highest production of aflatoxins was observed on day 21 at 30 °C with the a_w level of 0.98 for both strains. Overall, the current findings may help in improving the mycotoxin management and intervention strategies in peanuts, especially during storage.

Risk assessment of the exposure to mycotoxins in dogs and cats through the consumption of commercial dry food

Dry feed for dogs and cats sold in Europe are mostly formulated with cereals and cereal by-products, so the contamination of this food with mycotoxins represents a potential risk for these pets. We analyzed a representation of the best-selling feed brands in Spain. The presence of Aflatoxins (B₁, B₂, G₁, and G₂), Ochratoxin A, T-2 and HT-2 toxins, Deoxynivalenol, Zearalenone, and Fumonisins (B₁ and B₂) was quantified, using immunoaffinity columns and LC-MS/MS. In general, mycotoxins were frequently and simultaneously (6-11) detected, with AFB₁, FB₁, FB₂, Deoxynivalenol, and HT-2 detected in 100% of the samples. However, the concentrations of most of them are among the lowest reported so far. Fumonisins were the exception since we report the highest concentrations to date, particularly in cat feed. We practically found no significant differences in the level of mycotoxin contamination in relation to the presumed quality of the feed. We also calculated the daily exposure, and evaluated the acute and chronic health risk posed by these feeds. None of the brands analyzed presented acute risk for any of the mycotoxins. However, the high levels of fumonisins found in some samples could become problematic, if there are hidden forms of them. This is also evident in relation to long-term risk, since in the case of fumonisins the level of exposure exceeds the tolerable daily intake level in 3.5 and 12 times, for dogs and cats respectively. The exposure levels to zearalenone and deoxynivalenol could also be of long-term concern, especially considering the possibility that the continuous exposure to several mycotoxins simultaneously might produce potentiated toxic effects as a result of their synergistic action. Further research on the potential adverse health effects deriving from chronic exposure to low doses of multi-mycotoxin mixtures in pets is needed.

Sphingolipid Effects on the Plasma Membrane Produced by Addition of Fumonisin B1 to Maize Embryos

Fumonisin B1 is a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium verticillioides that modifies the membrane properties from animal cells and inhibits complex sphingolipids synthesis through the inhibition of ceramide synthase. The aim of this work was to determine the effect of Fumonisin B1 on the plant plasma membrane when the mycotoxin was added to germinating maize embryos. Fumonisin B1 addition to the embryos diminished plasma membrane fluidity, increased electrolyte leakage, caused a 7-fold increase of sphinganine and a small decrease in glucosylceramide in the plasma membrane, without affecting phytosphingosine levels or fatty acid composition. A 20%-30% inhibition of the plasma membrane H+-ATPase activity was observed when embryos were germinated in the presence of the mycotoxin. Such inhibition was only associated to the decrease in glucosylceramide and the addition of exogenous ceramide to the embryos relieved the inhibition of Fumonisin B1. These results indicate that exposure of the maize embryos for 24 h to Fumonisin B1 allowed the mycotoxin to target ceramide synthase at the endoplasmic reticulum, eliciting an imbalance of endogenous sphingolipids. The latter disrupted membrane properties and inhibited the plasma membrane H+-ATPase activity. Altogether, these results illustrate the mode of action of the pathogen and a plant defense strategy.

Quantitative Risk Assessment of Acrylamide in Indonesian Deep Fried Fritters as Street Food Products

Acrylamide, a carcinogenic and neurotoxic compound, is a public health concern in fried food products. This paper demonstrated, for the first time, the exposure assessment and risk characterization of acrylamide through consumption of deep fried fritters, a popular snack of Indonesian population which commonly sold as street food. Acrylamide concentration data were collected from selected monitoring data and laboratory simulated researches, while the consumption data covered 263 respondents (adult, age 16-40). Exposure assessment was conducted with probabilistic approach and followed by Margin of Exposure (MoE) calculation. Estimated mean, median (P50) and P95 acrylamide intake were 14.85, 4.10 and 76.06 µg/kg- bw/week, respectively. Thus, resulted in estimated 17.4% of population exceed the reported tolerable intake value (18.2 µg/kg-bw/week). MoE derived from average exposure was 75, indicating significant risk and need of risk management action. Possible mitigation of 70% acrylamide level reduction was simulated and MoE shifted towards 248. Although the MoE was increased, the value was still lower than 10,000 indicating a public health concern. The risk assessment study can be a valuable input for risk managers such as food safety authorities across Indonesia or neighboring countries consuming fried street foods.

Natural occurrence of mycotoxins in maize and sorghum in Togo

Mycotoxins are fungal secondary metabolites frequently affecting agronomical crops and consequently imposing a major challenge for food safety and public health. In this study, a total of 67 raw cereals (55 maize and 12 sorghum) were collected from the market of Togo. The samples were investigated on the occurrence of 21 mycotoxins using state-of-the-art high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). The most frequent occurring mycotoxins were fumonisins (88 and 67% for maize and sorghum respectively) with concentrations ranging from 101 to 1838 μg/kg for maize and 81.5 to 361 μg/kg for sorghum, respectively. Aflatoxin B1 was detected in 38% of the maize samples with maximum contamination levels of 256 μg/kg, and 25% of the sorghum samples (range 6-16 μg/kg). The concentrations of aflatoxins were high in maize, with some cases exceeding the maximum legislative limits (EU) for unprocessed maize placed on the market. In addition to these high contamination levels, the co-occurrence of three classes of mycotoxins (i.e., aflatoxins, fumonisins, and trichothecenes) was observed in this study. For the first time, the multi-mycotoxins occurrence in agronomical crops in Togo was reported.

Study on mycotoxin contamination in South African food spices

A validated QuEChERS-based method was used to investigate the occurrence of mycotoxins in 70 South African food spices [coarse chilli (n=14), ground chilli (n=4), paprika (n=7), ginger (n=5), chicken spices (n=8), onion spices (n=8), beef spices (n=5), Mexican chilli (n=9), vegetable spice (n=1), fruit chutney spices (n=4), and cheese spices (n=5)]. Mycotoxins were quantified using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Results revealed that 40% of the samples were contaminated with aflatoxin B1, aflatoxin G1, ochratoxin A, sterigmatocystin, 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol, fumonisin B1, fumonisin B2 and/or roquefortine C. The contamination levels for aflatoxin B1 ranged from 3-19 μg/kg; aflatoxin G1, 10-11 μg/kg; ochratoxin A, 4-20 μg/kg; fumonisin B1 104-591 μg/kg; fumonisin B2, 64-5,897 μg/kg; sterigmatocystin, 11-18 μg/kg; 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol, 42-46 μg/kg; and roquefortine C, 17-57 μg/kg. Mycotoxins co-occurred in 11% of the spice samples. Amongst the samples analysed in this study, paprika had the highest positives (100%) for the determined mycotoxins. Previous reports on mycotoxin contamination in spices, focused on the incidence of aflatoxins and ochratoxin A, but not on the multi-mycotoxin profile in South African spices. This study thus provides a comprehensive assessment of mycotoxin contamination of spices in South Africa.

Aflatoxins: Implications on Health

Environmental occurrence of Aspergillus and other fungal spores are hazardous to humans and animals. They cause a broad spectrum of clinical complications. Contamination of aflatoxins in agri-food and feed due to A. flavus and A. parasiticus result in toxicity in humans and animals. Recent advances in aspergillus genomics and aflatoxin management practices are encouraging to tackle the challenges posed by important aspergillus species.

Development of a QuEChERS-Based Method for Determination of Carcinogenic 2-Nitrofluorene and 1-Nitropyrene in Rice Grains and Vegetables: A Comparative Study with Benzo[a]pyrene

Nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (nitro-PAHs) are ubiquitous environmental pollutants attracting increasing attention because of their potent mutagenicity to humans. Previous studies of nitro-PAHs focused on investigating their formation mechanisms and detecting them in atmospheric environment; however, few studies have reported their occurrence in food samples, and regulations on nitro-PAHs are still lacking. We report in this study the development and application of a quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) method for determination of nitro-PAHs in rice and vegetable samples. Analysis of the collected samples by the validated method revealed 1-nitropyrene and 2-nitrofluorene were widespread food contaminants. A comparative study with benzo[a]pyrene, the commonly used marker for PAH exposure, showed that carcinogenic nitro-PAHs existed in rice and vegetables at similar concentrations. Dietary exposure risk, which was estimated based on the surveillance data, suggested 3.28-5.03 ng/kg/day of nitro-PAHs exposure for Hong Kong citizens from rice grains and vegetables.

Sterigmatocystin Occurrence in Paddy and Processed Rice Produced in Italy in the Years 2014-2015 and Distribution in Milled Rice Fractions

The occurrence of sterigmatocystin (STC) in paddy and processed rice samples produced in Italy was surveyed. After extraction and purification, STC was analysed using HPLC-MS/MS. STC was detected in all paddy rice samples (n = 49), in the range 0.29–15.85 μg·kg⁻¹. As regards processed rice, a widespread contamination was found in brown and parboiled rice. All the brown rice samples were contaminated between 0.12 and 1.32 μg·kg⁻¹; for parboiled rice, the incidence was 90.9% and the maximum level was 1.09 μg·kg⁻¹. The contamination in white rice was significantly lower (p < 0.01). The STC distribution in different rice fractions, obtained by the de-hulling and polishing processes, was evaluated. After de-hulling, the STC percentage remaining in brown rice was in the range 21.2%–30.8%. The polishing process, from brown to white rice, caused another remarkable decrease of contamination; the STC remaining in white rice was 2.2%–8.3% of the amount found in paddy rice.

Validated UPLC-MS/MS Methods To Quantitate Free and Conjugated Alternaria Toxins in Commercially Available Tomato Products and Fruit and Vegetable Juices in Belgium

Ultraperformance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe based analytical methodologies to quantitate both free (alternariol (1), alternariol monomethyl ether (2), tenuazonic acid (3), tentoxin (4), altenuene (5), altertoxin-I (6)) and conjugated (sulfates and glucosides of 1 and 2) Alternaria toxins in fruit and vegetable juices and tomato products were developed and validated. Acceptable limits of quantitation (0.7-5.7 μg/kg), repeatability (RSDr < 15.7%), reproducibility (RSDR < 17.9%), and apparent recovery (87.0-110.6%) were obtained for all analytes in all matrices investigated. 129 commercial foodstuffs were analyzed, and 3 was detected in 100% of tomato product samples (<LOQ to 333 μg/kg), while 1, 2, 4, and 5 were also frequently detected (21-86%, <LOQ to 62 μg/kg). Moreover, low levels (<LOQ to 9.9 μg/kg) of modified Alternaria toxins (sulfates of 1 and 2) were repeatedly detected. A deterministic dietary exposure assessment revealed the possible risk for human health related to the presence of 1 and 2 in tomato based foodstuffs, whereas 3 is unlikely to be of human health concern.

Determination of sterigmatocystin in feed by LC-MS/MS

An LC-MS/MS method is proposed for the analysis of sterigmatocystin in cereals and feed. The method is based on a solid-liquid extraction and a dilute-and-shoot approach. Accuracy and precision were established at the LOQ (1 μg kg(-1)); the mean overall recovery (n = 6) was 98%, with a confidence interval of 3.8% and a CV% of 3.7%. Accuracy and precision were also assessed at three other concentration levels (2.03, 5.07 and 10.14 μg kg(-1); six replicates per level). The mean overall recovery (n = 24, LOQ included) was 99% with a confidence interval of 0.8% and a CV% of 1.9%. The method was then applied to 14 naturally incurred feed samples. Aflatoxin B1 was present in the range 28.7-240.1 µg kg(-1), while lower concentrations of sterigmatocystin were found (0.7-2.2 µg kg(-1)). This method may represent a valuable choice, ensuring a high level of accuracy and precision, as well as high-throughput performance. Therefore, it meets the recent EFSA opinion recommendation in terms of availability of fast and sensitive methods (recommended LOQ = 1.5 μg kg(-1)) in order to increase data collection to allow for the assessment of dietary exposure.