scholarly journals Validation of HPLC and Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) Techniques for Detection and Quantification of Aflatoxins in Different Food Samples

Foods ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 661 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharaf S. Omar ◽  
Moawiya A. Haddad ◽  
Salvatore Parisi
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Food Samples ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Total Aflatoxin ◽  
Limit Of Quantification ◽  
Coffee Beans ◽  
Almost All

Background: In Jordan as in other worldwide countries, mycotoxins are considered a serious national problem in food supplies. As a result, almost all nations are setting and adopting different regulations targeting the control of mycotoxins levels in the domestic food supply, including the problem of reliable sampling and analysis methods. Objective: It is necessary to improve and give evidence of analytical abilities of laboratories within Jordan and developing countries enabling them to monitor mycotoxins effectively in food to overcome non-tariff obstacles. Methods: We analyzed 40 samples from wheat, corn, dried fig and dried coffee beans for total aflatoxin content using High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Enzyme Linked Immunesorbent Assay (ELISA) methods. Results: 40% of samples from wheat, 60% from corn, 30% from dried fig, and 50% from dried coffee beans were found positive when speaking of total aflatoxins, with average values between 1.14 and 4.12 μg/kg. Obtained results allow considering all tested food samples as fit for human consumption if compared with the labeled regulatory limit of allowed aflatoxins in the European Union. In detail, the limit of detection and the limit of quantification for methods used in this study were significantly lower than the maximum limits established by the European Union. Highlights: The procedure used in this study is suitable for detection of mycotoxins at very low concentration.

A Limited Survey of Heavy Metal Concentrations in Fresh and Frozen Cuttlefish Ink and Mantle Used As Food

2018 ◽  
Vol 81 (2) ◽  
pp. 290-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniele Conficoni ◽  
Leonardo Alberghini ◽  
Elisa Bissacco ◽  
Barbara Contiero ◽  
Valerio Giaccone
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metal ◽  
European Union ◽  
Heavy Metal Contamination ◽  
Freezing Process ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Limit Of Quantification ◽  
Metal Concentrations ◽  
Heavy Metal Concentrations ◽  
Fresh Products ◽  
Almost All

ABSTRACT Cuttlefish ink is consumed as a delicacy worldwide. The current study is the first assessment of heavy metal concentrations in cuttlefish ink versus mantle under different storage methods. A total of 212 samples (64 of fresh mantle, 42 of frozen mantle, 64 of fresh ink, and 42 of frozen ink) were analyzed for the detection of the following heavy metals: arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and cadmium (Cd). The median As concentrations were 12.9 mg/kg for fresh mantle, 8.63 mg/kg for frozen mantle, 10.8 mg/kg for frozen ink, and 0.41 mg/kg for fresh ink. The median Cr concentrations were 0.06 mg/kg for fresh mantle and frozen ink, 0.03 mg/kg for frozen mantle, and below the limit of quantification (LOQ) for fresh ink. The median Fe concentrations were 4.08 mg/kg for frozen ink, 1.51 mg/kg for fresh mantle, 0.73 mg/kg for frozen mantle, and below the LOQ for fresh ink. The median Pb concentrations of almost all samples were below the LOQ; only two frozen ink, one fresh ink, one frozen mantle, and one fresh mantle sample exceeded the limit stipulated by the European Union. The Hg concentrations were statistically similar among the four categories of samples; the median Hg concentrations were below the LOQ, and the maximum concentrations were found in frozen ink, at 1.62 mg/kg. The median Cd concentrations were 0.69 mg/kg for frozen ink and 0.11 mg/kg for frozen mantle, fresh mantle and fresh ink concentrations were below the LOQ, and in 11.3% of the tested samples, Cd concentrations were higher than the European Union limit. The probability of samples having a Cd concentration above the legal limit was 35.75 times higher in frozen than in fresh products. Fresh ink had significantly lower concentrations of As, Cr, Fe, and Cd, but the concentrations of Hg and Pb were not significantly different from those of other products. Frozen ink had significantly higher concentrations of Cd, Cr, and Fe, but concentrations of As were lower than those in fresh mantle, pointing out a possible role for the freezing process and for different fishing zones as risk factors for heavy metal contamination.

Fixing, Adjusting, Regulating, Protecting Human Rights - The Shifting Uses of Regularisations in the European Union

2011 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 297-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert Kraler
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Human Rights ◽  
Legal Status ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Human Rights Law ◽  
Irregular Migrants ◽  
National Human ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Human Rights Based Approach ◽  
The Eu

AbstractAlmost all Member States in the European Union currently make use, or in the past have made use of some form of regularisation of irregular immigrants, although to greatly varying degrees, in different ways and as a rule only reluctantly. A distinct feature of recent regularisations has been the shift towards a humanitarian justification of regularisation measures. In this context, regularisation has become reframed as an issue of the protection of irregular migrants’ human rights. As a result, regularisation has to some extent also been turned from a political tool in managing migration into an issue of international, European and national human rights law. While a human rights framework indeed offers a powerful rationale and at times compelling reasons why states ought to afford a legal status to irregular migrants, I argue that a human rights based approach must always be complemented by pragmatic considerations, as a human rights based justification of regularisation alone will be insufficient to find adequate responses to the changing presence of irregular migrants in the EU, not all of which can invoke human rights based claims to residence.

Sensory Quality and Histamine Formation during Controlled Decomposition of Tuna (Thunnus thynnus)

1996 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
EMILIO I. LÓPEZ-SABATER ◽  
JOSÉ J. RODRÍGUEZ-JEREZ ◽  
MANUELA HERNÁDEZ-HERRERO ◽  
ARTUR X. ROIG-SAGUÉS ◽  
MARIA T. MORA-VENTURA
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Shelf Life ◽  
Sensory Quality ◽  
Health Hazard ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Histamine Production ◽  
Histamine Formation ◽  
Hazard Levels ◽  
The U.S

Histamine production was studied during controlled tunafish decomposition at 0, 8, and 20°C. The influence of the location of the anatomic section on the amount of histamine formed and the incidence of histidine decarboxylating bacteria were also considered. By the time of sensory rejection, histamine levels in tunafish sections stored at 0 and 20°C were still below the hazard levels and the allowable levels established by both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Union. Toxic amounts were only formed after the tunafish was considered organoleptically unsuitable for human consumption. However, at 8°C, levels of histamine between 100 and 200 mg/l00 g of fish were found before tuna reached the rejection point. Hence, physical appearance was not a good criterion for estimating the shelf life and especially the histamine-related health hazard when tuna was stored at 8°C, a common temperature in many home refrigerators.

scholarly journals Data Sharing Under the General Data Protection Regulation

Hypertension ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 77 (4) ◽  
pp. 1029-1035
Author(s):  
Antonia Vlahou ◽  
Dara Hallinan ◽  
Rolf Apweiler ◽  
Angel Argiles ◽  
Joachim Beige ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Data Protection ◽  
Personal Data ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
The European Union ◽  
General Data Protection Regulation ◽  
Personal Data Protection ◽  
Protection Legislation ◽  
General Data ◽  
Almost All

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) became binding law in the European Union Member States in 2018, as a step toward harmonizing personal data protection legislation in the European Union. The Regulation governs almost all types of personal data processing, hence, also, those pertaining to biomedical research. The purpose of this article is to highlight the main practical issues related to data and biological sample sharing that biomedical researchers face regularly, and to specify how these are addressed in the context of GDPR, after consulting with ethics/legal experts. We identify areas in which clarifications of the GDPR are needed, particularly those related to consent requirements by study participants. Amendments should target the following: (1) restricting exceptions based on national laws and increasing harmonization, (2) confirming the concept of broad consent, and (3) defining a roadmap for secondary use of data. These changes will be achieved by acknowledged learned societies in the field taking the lead in preparing a document giving guidance for the optimal interpretation of the GDPR, which will be finalized following a period of commenting by a broad multistakeholder audience. In parallel, promoting engagement and education of the public in the relevant issues (such as different consent types or residual risk for re-identification), on both local/national and international levels, is considered critical for advancement. We hope that this article will open this broad discussion involving all major stakeholders, toward optimizing the GDPR and allowing a harmonized transnational research approach.

scholarly journals Mycotoxins as a risk in the grain food

2009 ◽  
pp. 79-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jovana Matic ◽  
Jasna Mastilovic ◽  
Ivana Cabarkapa ◽  
Anamarija Mandic
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Secondary Metabolites ◽  
Ochratoxin A ◽  
Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Toxic Effects ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
The European Union ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Grain Foods

Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites of fungi that contaminate a large variety of foods and have toxic effects on humans. The best protection against mycotoxins is to monitor their presence in food. This paper shows the screening results of mycotoxins present in 76 samples of different groups of grain foods. Samples of grain food were analyzed for contamination with aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, zearalenone, fumonisins and deoxynivalenol. Analysis were conducted using competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). None of the samples was contaminated with aflatoxins. The most predominant mycotoxin was ochratoxin A with the mean level of 4.84 ? 4.49 ppb in 19.7% of the examined samples. Zearalenone, fumonisins, and deoxynivalenol were found in 9.21, 14.5 and 3.9% of the samples, respectively. Mycotoxin content in the investigated samples was compared with the regulations of Serbia and those of the European Union.

scholarly journals Development and method validation for determination of 54 pesticides in Okra by LC-MS/MS analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 985-992
Author(s):  
Hymavati Muppalla ◽  
Kiranmayi Peddi
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Pesticide Residues ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Extraction Procedure ◽  
Mass Spectrometry Analysis ◽  
Limit Of Quantification ◽  
Spectrometry Analysis ◽  
Tandem Mass Spectrometry Analysis

The presence of pesticide residues in primary and derived agricultural products raises serious health concerns for consumers across the globe. The aim of the present study was to assess the level of pesticide residues in Okra in India. A multi-residue method for the quantification of fifty-four pesticides in okra is described in this work. The present study employed a modified quick, easy cheap, effective rugged and safe (QuEChERS) extraction procedure followed by UHPLC-MS/MS (Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled to Tandem Mass Spectrometry) analysis. Validation of the method was according to the guidelines given by European Union SANCO/12571/2013. The levels of validation were 10.0, 50.0 and 100 µg kg-1. The following parameters such as linearity, the limit of detection (LOD) (nearer to 0.005 mg kg-1) and limit of quantification (LOQ) (nearer to 0.01 mg kg-1) were set to be acceptable. The trueness of the method for 54 pesticides in all Okra commodities was between 80-110% with satisfactory repeatability and within-run reproducibility except for the pesticide residues such as Thiamethoxam and Fenamidone. The measurement of uncertainty for each of the pesticide was below 50% and was estimated to be in the range of 5.37% - 10.71%, which meets the criteria established in the SANCO/12571/2013 document (European Union, 2013). This method is concluded to be applicable for the determination of pesticide residues in Okra.

The Municipal Map in Portugal

2019 ◽  
pp. 275-292
Author(s):  
Barbara Luize Iacovino Barreiros
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Member States ◽  
Territorial Structure ◽  
Territorial Organization ◽  
Consequent Reduction ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Large Groups ◽  
Do So

The municipality is the basic territorial organization for almost all the Member States of the European Union and has approximately the same attributions in all these. Even so, the territorial structure of municipalities differs in each of the Member States, and it is possible to group them into two large groups: those that have implemented reforms with a consequent reduction in the number of these entities and those with a high number of municipalities. Although Spain is a neighbor of Portugal and Portugal gets some influences from France, in fact the territorial organization of municipalities corresponds to very different realities. Through this research you can see that Portugal did reform its municipalities while France and Spain failed to do so. However, they all recognize that there is a need to reform the territorial structure of municipalities.

scholarly journals Enzyme Immunoassay for Measuring Aflatoxin B1 in Legal Cannabis

Toxins ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabio Di Nardo ◽  
Simone Cavalera ◽  
Claudio Baggiani ◽  
Matteo Chiarello ◽  
Marco Pazzi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Enzyme Immunoassay ◽  
Aflatoxin B1 ◽  
Analytical Methods ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Direct Analysis ◽  
Aflatoxin Contamination ◽  
Throughput Capacity ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Coefficients Of Variation

The diffusion of the legalization of cannabis for recreational, medicinal and nutraceutical uses requires the development of adequate analytical methods to assure the safety and security of such products. In particular, aflatoxins are considered to pose a major risk for the health of cannabis consumers. Among analytical methods that allows for adequate monitoring of food safety, immunoassays play a major role thanks to their cost-effectiveness, high-throughput capacity, simplicity and limited requirement for equipment and skilled operators. Therefore, a rapid and sensitive enzyme immunoassay has been adapted to measure the most hazardous aflatoxin B1 in cannabis products. The assay was acceptably accurate (recovery rate: 78–136%), reproducible (intra- and inter-assay means coefficients of variation 11.8% and 13.8%, respectively), and sensitive (limit of detection and range of quantification: 0.35 ng mL−1 and 0.4–2 ng mL−1, respectively corresponding to 7 ng g−1 and 8–40 ng g−1 ng g−1 in the plant) and provided results which agreed with a HPLC-MS/MS method for the direct analysis of aflatoxin B1 in cannabis inflorescence and leaves. In addition, the carcinogenic aflatoxin B1 was detected in 50% of the cannabis products analyzed (14 samples collected from small retails) at levels exceeding those admitted by the European Union in commodities intended for direct human consumption, thus envisaging the need for effective surveillance of aflatoxin contamination in legal cannabis.

scholarly journals Distribution of fungi and their toxic metabolites in melon and sesame seeds marketed in two major producing states in Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 361-369
Author(s):  
Adetoun O. Esan ◽  
Stephen O. Fapohunda ◽  
Chibundu N. Ezekiel ◽  
Michael Sulyok ◽  
Rudolf Krska
Keyword(s):  
Monomethyl Ether ◽  
Species Group ◽  
Fusarium Fujikuroi ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Alternariol Monomethyl Ether ◽  
Total Aflatoxin ◽  
Sesame Seeds ◽  
Mycotoxin Contamination ◽  
Taxonomic Groups

Abstract In this study, melon (n = 60) and sesame (n = 60) seeds purchased from markets within Benue and Nasarawa states, respectively, in Nigeria, during two seasons (dry and wet), were analysed for fungal and mycotoxin contamination in order to determine the safety of these foods for human consumption. Molecular analysis revealed the following seven fungal taxonomic groups in the foods: Aspergillus section Candidi, Aspergillus section Flavi, Aspergillus section Nigri, Cladosporium, Fusarium fujikuroi species group, Penicillium, and Pleosporales/Didymellaceae. A total of 78 microbial metabolites, including several mycotoxins, occurred in the foods. The most frequent mycotoxins in melon and sesame were aflatoxin B1 (occurrence: 76%) and alternariol monomethyl ether (occurrence: 59%), respectively. However, higher mean total aflatoxin levels occurred in sesame (17 μg kg−1) than in melon (11 μg kg−1). About 28 and 5% of melon and sesame, respectively, exceeded the 4 μg kg−1 total aflatoxin limit for oilseeds intended for direct human consumption in the European Union. Additionally, fumonisin B1 and moniliformin occurred only in sesame, whilst ochratoxins A and B occurred only in melon; ochratoxin B being reported for the first time in this food. Our data indicated seasonal variations in the fungal and mycotoxin contamination levels in both foods.

scholarly journals Sea Buckthorn Leaves and the Novel Food Evaluation

2017 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. 111-114
Author(s):  
Sanna Kauppinen
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Significant Degree ◽  
Sea Buckthorn ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
The Novel ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Traditional Use ◽  
Food Ingredients ◽  
Novel Food ◽  
History Of

AbstractNovel food means any food that was not used for human consumption to a significant degree within the European Union before 1997. The novel food regulation (EC) 258/97 concerns also foods and food ingredients consisting of or isolated from plants, except the food having a history of safe food use within the European Union before 1997. According to the knowledge thus far, sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides L.) leaves have not been used to a significant degree as food, food supplement, or spice in European Union before 1997. The new regulation on novel foods (EU) No. 2015/2283 (Anonymous, 2015) comes into force in the beginning of 2018. After that also history of safe use in a third country is accepted as information of its traditional use. This means continued use for at least 25 years in the customary diet of a significant number of people. Novel food application has to include the description of the product, production process, characteristics and composition, proposed uses and use levels, anticipated intake, history of its use, absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, nutritional and toxicological information and allergenicity. Sea buckthorn leaves have been under active research lately and a lot of information is already available, but safety assessment required for novel food evaluation may still be needed.

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