Impact of maximum levels in European legislation on exposure of mycotoxins in dried products: Case of aflatoxin B1 and ochratoxin A in nuts and dried fruits

Abstract The objective of this study was the estimation of the content of 13 mycotoxins (diacetoxyscirpenol, T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, nivalenol, deoxynivalenol, 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol, fusarenone X, aflatoxin B1, aflatoxin B2, aflatoxin G1, aflatoxin G2, ochratoxin A, and zearalenone) in various products from the eastern part of Poland. The content of mycotoxins in the analysed samples was assayed using the extraction method combined with HPLC-MS/MS analysis. We found mycotoxins in 25 of the 92 samples tested (27%). Contamination with mycotoxins was noted most frequently in samples of cereals – 56% – and also in samples of flour and cocoa, in which a content of mycotoxins was noted in 24 and 16% of the samples, respectively. The most frequently identified were the following – deoxynivalenol detected in 18 samples (72%), zearalenone detected in eight samples (32%), toxin HT-2 detected in four samples (16%), ochratoxin A identified in three samples (12%), and toxin T-2 detected in one sample (4%). In one analysed sample of mixed flour and in one analysed sample of wheat and rye flour, the maximum allowable concentration was exceeded in the case of two identified mycotoxins – deoxynivalenol (2,250 μg/kg) and ochratoxin A (15.6 and 17.1 μg/kg).

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Occurrence of Ochratoxin A Contamination and Detection of Ochratoxigenic Aspergillus Species in Retail Samples of Dried Fruits and Nuts

Journal of Food Protection ◽

10.4315/0362-028x.jfp-14-471 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 78 (4) ◽

pp. 836-842 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

JEFFREY D. PALUMBO ◽

TERESA L. O'KEEFFE ◽

YVONNE S. HO ◽

CARLO J. SANTILLAN

Keyword(s):

European Union ◽

Ochratoxin A ◽

The United States ◽

Aspergillus Species ◽

The European Union ◽

Dried Fruits ◽

Tree Nuts ◽

Low Levels ◽

Contamination Levels ◽

Potential Contaminant

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin produced by several species of Aspergillus and Penicillium and is a potential contaminant of a wide variety of food products. To determine the incidence of OTA contamination in dried fruits and tree nuts, retail packaged and bulk raisins, dates, figs, prunes, almonds, pistachios, and walnuts were collected from small and large supermarkets in seven areas of the United States between 2012 and 2014. Of the 665 samples analyzed, OTA was detected in 48 raisin samples, 4 fig samples, 4 pistachio samples, and 1 date sample. OTA contamination levels ranged from 0.28 to 15.34 ng/g in dried fruits and 1.87 to 890 ng/g in pistachios; two raisin samples and one pistachio sample exceeded the European Union regulatory limit of 10 ng/g. PCR detection of potential OTA-producing Aspergillus species revealed the presence of A. niger, A. welwitschiae, and A. carbonarius in 20, 7, and 7 of the 57 OTA-contaminated samples, respectively. However, OTA-producing A. carbonarius was isolated from only one raisin sample, and no other OTA-producing Aspergillus species were found. These results suggest that raisins are more frequently contaminated with low levels of OTA than are other dried fruits and nuts and that Aspergillus species are the likely source of that contamination.

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MYCOTOXINS AND TOXIN-PRODUCING MICROSCOPIC FUNGI IN COTTON-SEED CAKE FROM TAJIKISTAN

Problems of Veterinary Sanitation, Hygiene and Ecology ◽

10.36871/vet.san.hyg.ecol.201901005 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 31-38

Author(s):

G. P. Kononenko ◽

◽

E. A. Piryazeva ◽

E. V. Zotova ◽

Sh. I. Razokov ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ochratoxin A ◽

Aflatoxin B1 ◽

Cotton Seed ◽

Practical Significance ◽

Microscopic Fungi ◽

Seed Cake ◽

Complex Study ◽

The Republic ◽

Toxin Formation

The article presents the results of complex study of cotton-seed cake from the Republic of Tajikistan, including the determination of content of mycotoxins, the analysis of exposure to microscopic fungi and the assessment of the potential of their toxin formation. The ability to produce mycotoxins was established for 11 species of micromycetes belonging to the genus Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, Scop-ulariopsis, and Trichothecium. Alternariol, zearalenone, fu-monisins, aflatoxin B1, sterigmatocystin, ochratoxin A, citrinin and emodin were found in the composition of the cotton-seed cake. Prospects for further research and the practical significance of the results are discussed.

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Mycotoxins in Tea: Occurrence, Methods of Determination and Risk Evaluation

Toxins ◽

10.3390/toxins10110444 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 444 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Irina Sedova ◽

Mariya Kiseleva ◽

Victor Tutelyan

Keyword(s):

Ochratoxin A ◽

Aflatoxin B1 ◽

Health Hazard ◽

Black Tea ◽

Contamination Level ◽

Protection Measures ◽

Commodity Production ◽

Exposure Estimate ◽

Contamination Levels ◽

Public Health Protection

Tea is one of the most popular beverages all over the world. Being an everyday drink for almost everyone, for centuries tea was considered safe and healthy. However, fungal contamination of tea at any stage of commodity production can pose a serious health hazard due to the accumulation of toxic secondary metabolites of moulds. Contemporary research revealed incidences of highly contaminated samples. Mycotoxin transfer from naturally contaminated raw tea into beverage was well studied for ochratoxin A only, and the possible leak of other mycotoxins is discussed. The results of several surveys were combined to evaluate aflatoxin B1 and ochratoxin A contamination levels in black tea and Pu-erh. Exposure estimate to aflatoxin B1 and ochratoxin A due to tea consumption was carried out based on these data. Average contamination level corresponds to the exposure of 3–40% (aflatoxin B1) and 5–24% (ochratoxin A) of mean overall estimates for different cluster diets. Lack of data does not allow the conclusion for the necessity of public health protection measures. It is necessary to perform representative studies of different kinds of tea for regulated mycotoxins at least. Contemporary techniques for analysis of mycotoxins in tea are summarised in the present review.

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Occurrence of aflatoxin B1, citrinin and ochratoxin A in rice in five provinces of the central region of Vietnam

Food Chemistry ◽

10.1016/j.foodchem.2007.03.040 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 105 (1) ◽

pp. 42-47 ◽

Cited By ~ 127

Author(s):

M NGUYEN ◽

M TOZLOVANU ◽

T TRAN ◽

A PFOHLLESZKOWICZ

Keyword(s):

Ochratoxin A ◽

Central Region ◽

Aflatoxin B1

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Simultaneous Rapid Detection of Aflatoxin B1 and Ochratoxin A in Spices Using Lateral Flow Immuno-Chromatographic Assay

Foods ◽

10.3390/foods10112738 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 2738

Author(s):

Xue Zhao ◽

Xindi Jin ◽

Zhang Lin ◽

Qi Guo ◽

Bin Liu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ochratoxin A ◽

Aflatoxin B1 ◽

High Performance ◽

Simultaneous Detection ◽

High Sensitivity ◽

Strong Stability ◽

Test Strip ◽

Chromatography Analysis ◽

Relative Standard ◽

Strip Test

Spices are susceptible to contamination by aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and ochratoxin A (OTA), which are both mycotoxins with high toxicity and carcinogenicity. In this study, we aimed to develop an immuno-chromatographic strip test for the simultaneous quantification of AFB1 and OTA in spices by spraying the coupled antigens AFB1–ovalbumin (AFB1–OVA) and OTA–ovalbumin (OTA–OVA) on a nitrocellulose membrane. The test strip had high sensitivity, good specificity, and strong stability. The detection limits of these two mycotoxins in Chinese prickly ash, pepper, chili, cinnamon, and aniseed were 5 μg/kg. The false positivity rate was 2%, and the false negativity rate was 0%. The maximum coefficient of variation was 4.28% between batches and 5.72% within batches. The average recovery rates of AFB1 and OTA in spices were 81.2–113.7% and 82.2–118.6%, respectively, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) was <10%. The actual sample detection was consistent with high performance liquid chromatography analysis results. Therefore, the immuno-chromatographic test strips developed in this study can be used for the on-site simultaneous detection of AFB1 and OTA in spices. This method would allow the relevant regulatory agencies to strengthen supervision in an effort to reduce the possible human health hazards of such contaminated spices.

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