scholarly journals Mycotoxin Contamination Concerns of Herbs and Medicinal Plants

Toxins ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iwona Ałtyn ◽  
Magdalena Twarużek
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Medicinal Plants ◽  
Ochratoxin A ◽  
Medicinal Herbs ◽  
Quality And Safety ◽  
The European Union ◽  
New Materials ◽  
Herbal Products ◽  
Safety Standards ◽  
Mycotoxin Contamination

Plants and medicinal herbs that are available on the market do not always meet quality and safety standards. One particular concern is the risk of contamination with mycotoxins. Aflatoxins and ochratoxin A are the most frequently described mycotoxins in herbal products and have repeatedly been reported to occur at concentrations which exceed regulatory levels set by the European Union (EU). Possible solutions include enforcing existing limits, and for the new materials, establishing tighter limits and mandate the growth of medicinal plants in EU member countries under more strict conditions.

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

2015 ◽  
Vol 78 (4) ◽  
pp. 836-842 ◽  
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.

The MycoGlobe project: a European Union funded successful experiment in enhancing cooperation and coordination amongst mycotoxin researchers worldwide

2008 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 493-500
Author(s):  
D. Bhatnagar ◽  
G. Perrone ◽  
A. Visconti
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Food Safety ◽  
Food Quality ◽  
Research Policy ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Quality And Safety ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Toxigenic Fungi ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Food Quality And Safety

In 2004, the European Commission approved the specific support action 'Integration of Mycotoxin and Toxigenic Fungi Research for Food Safety in the Global System' (MycoGlobe, contract FOOD-CT-2004-007174) within the Sixth Framework Programme, Food Quality and Safety. The aim of the MycoGlobe project (http://mycoglobe.ispa.cnr.it) was to implement the outcomes of a wide range of European research projects in the area of mycotoxins and toxigenic fungi by supporting, stimulating and facilitating cooperation between countries in the European Union and other countries that have bilateral scientific and technological cooperation agreement with the European Union (such as USA, Australia and South America). Through a series of conferences and interactions between scientists worldwide, MycoGlobe was a very successful project. The scientific significance of the MycoGlobe project consisted in the spread of knowledge of advanced research tools in genomics and sophisticated and rapid detection systems for mycotoxins and toxigenic fungi; and evaluation of research policy and procedures to achieve best practice for enhancement of food quality and safety by elimination of mycotoxins and toxigenic fungi from commodities. The socio-economic significance of the project was the setting up of a global collaborative network for research and technology transfer in the field of mycotoxins and toxigenic fungi, particularly for the benefit of the developing countries. A relevant outcome of the project was also the launching of the International Society for Mycotoxicology (http://www.mycotoxsociety. org) to promote research on mycotoxins and toxigenic fungi, thereby leading to prevention and reduction in exposure to mycotoxins, enhanced food safety and a greater public awareness of this area.

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.

Derivation of Clearance Levels for the New German Radiation Protection Ordinance

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Thierfeldt ◽  
Ernst Kugeler ◽  
Alexander Nüsser ◽  
Renate Sefzig ◽  
Hans-Henning Landfermann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Waste Management ◽  
Boundary Conditions ◽  
Radiation Protection ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Individual Dose ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Full Agreement ◽  
Safety Standards ◽  
Country Specific

Abstract The new Radiation Protection Ordinance (RPO) in Germany which transforms the EURATOM Basic Safety Standards into national legislation contains detailed regulations on clearance. For each of the following clearance options, a separate set of clearance levels (CL) exists: unconditional clearance, clearance of building rubble (> 1000 Mg/a), clearance of buildings for demolition and for reuse, clearance of nuclear sites, and clearance for disposal or incineration. This paper outlines the basis for the derivation of these sets of CL which are all based on generic radiological scenarios taking into account all relevant aspects of the materials. The underlying dose criterion is 10 μSv/a individual dose and 1 man·Sv/a collective dose. When deriving sets of CL in Germany care has been taken to be compatible with recommendations of the European Union and the IAEA. It is a common experience that sets of CL which are intended for the same purpose (e.g. general, unconditional clearance) may vary between studies and therefore between countries. This follows directly from differences e.g. in material quantities, boundary conditions, waste management options etc. which may be country specific. German CL are, however, in full agreement with all recommendations issued by the European Commission.

scholarly journals Determination of Ochratoxin A (OTA), Ochratoxin B (OTB), T-2, and HT-2 Toxins in Wheat Grains, Wheat Flour, and Bread in Lebanon by LC-MS/MS

Toxins ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 471 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jomana Elaridi ◽  
Osama Yamani ◽  
Amira Al Matari ◽  
Saada Dakroub ◽  
Zouhair Attieh
Keyword(s):  
Ochratoxin A ◽  
Wheat Flour ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Public Health Concern ◽  
Wheat Grains ◽  
Mycotoxin Contamination ◽  
Ochratoxin B ◽  
Interday Precision

Cereals are prone to fungal infection during growth, harvesting, transportation, and/or storage. As a result, cereals such as wheat grains and wheat-derived products may be contaminated with mycotoxins leading to acute and chronic health exposure. The current study investigated the presence of the mycotoxins: ochratoxin A (OTA), ochratoxin B (OTB), T-2, and HT-2 toxins in samples of wheat grains (n = 50), wheat flour (n = 50), and bread (n = 37) from the main mills in Lebanon using LC-MS/MS. Accuracy ranged from 98–100%, recoveries from 93–105%, and intraday and interday precision were 5–7% and 9–12%, respectively. The tested wheat grains, wheat flour, and bread samples did not contain detectable levels of T-2 and HT-2 toxins and OTB. Four wheat flour samples (8% of flour samples) showed positive OTA levels ranging from 0.6–3.4 μg·kg−1 with an arithmetic mean of 1.9 ± 0.2 μg·kg−1. Only one sample contained an OTA concentration greater than the limit set by the European Union (3 μg·kg−1) for wheat-derived products. This study suggests that mycotoxin contamination of wheat grains, wheat flour, and bread in Lebanon is currently not a serious public health concern. However, surveillance strategies and monitoring programs must be routinely implemented to ensure minimal mycotoxin contamination of wheat-based products.

scholarly journals Learning from MARQuIS: future direction of quality and safety in hospital care in the European Union

2009 ◽  
Vol 18 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. i69-i74 ◽  
Author(s):  
O Groene ◽  
N Klazinga ◽  
K Walshe ◽  
C Cucic ◽  
C D Shaw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Hospital Care ◽  
Quality And Safety ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Future Direction

Acquis Communautaire in the Field of Nuclear and Radiation Safety and Ukrainian Legislation: Prospects and Challenges of Harmonization

2017 ◽  
Vol 71 (0) ◽  
pp. 0-0
Author(s):  
Olha Sushyk
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Radiation Safety ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Spent Fuel ◽  
Association Agreement ◽  
Safety Standards ◽  
Chernobyl Disaster ◽  
Council Directive ◽  
Nuclear And Radiation Safety ◽  
State Of Affairs

Since the Chernobyl disaster, special attention is paid in Ukraine to legislation in the field of nuclear energy and radiation safety. A new stage of enhancing Ukrainian nuclear and radiation safety legislation began with the signing in 2014 of the Association Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Ukraine, of the other. In addition, the Ordinance of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine of 17 September 2014 on the implementation of the Association Agreement on atomic energy between Ukraine from one side and the European Union, the European Community and its member-countries from another side, provided for the development and adoption of new regulations in the energy sector (including nuclear) in order to implement Directives: 1) Council Directive 2014/87/Euratom of 8 July 2014 amending Directive 2009/71/Euratom establishing a Community framework for the nuclear safety of nuclear installations, 2) Council Directive 2006/117/Euratom of 20 November 2006 on the supervision and control of shipments of radioactive waste and spent fuel, 3) Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom of 5 December 2013 laying down basic safety standards for protection against the dangers arising from exposure to ionizing radiation. Implementation of EU legislation in the field of nuclear and radiation safety will reveal major shortcomings of the current state of affairs and, at the same time, mechanisms to improve Ukraine’s national legislation with the aim of preventing another Chernobyl disaster in the future.

scholarly journals Understanding Mycotoxin Contamination Across the Food Chain in Brazil: Challenges and Opportunities

Toxins ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 411 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta H. Taniwaki ◽  
John I. Pitt ◽  
Marina V. Copetti ◽  
Aldir A. Teixeira ◽  
Beatriz T. Iamanaka
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Food Safety ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Food Contaminants ◽  
Late 20Th Century ◽  
Mycotoxin Contamination ◽  
Brazil Nuts ◽  
National Priority ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
The Impact

Brazil is one of the largest food producers and exporters in the world. In the late 20th century, the European Union program for the harmonization of regulations for contaminants in food, including mycotoxins, led to the examination of mycotoxin contamination in foods at a global level. The problem of the rejection of food by the European Union and other countries became a Brazilian national priority because of economic and food safety aspects. Ochratoxin A in coffee and cocoa and aflatoxins in Brazil nuts are examples of the impact of technical trade barriers on Brazilian foods. To overcome these threats, several strategies were undertaken by Brazilian and international organizations. In this context, the Codex Commission on Food Contaminants (CCCF) has emerged as a forum to discuss with more transparency issues related to mycotoxins, focusing on establishing maximum levels and codes of practices for some commodities and mycotoxins to ensure fair trade and food safety. Our experience in investigating and understanding mycotoxin contamination across the food chains in Brazil has contributed nationally and internationally to providing some answers to these issues.

scholarly journals Сonsolidation of somatic rights in international regulations

2021 ◽  
pp. 46-50
Author(s):  
M.V. Gromovchuk
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Human Rights ◽  
Legal Status ◽  
Legal Regulation ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Council Of Europe ◽  
European Union Law ◽  
Safety Standards ◽  
Normative Criteria ◽  
The Individual

The issue is topical in the context of actively expanding the list of human rights, including within the national dimension, because human rights as a dual category are subject to transformation due to the following factors: European integration processes, creating the need for integration and harmonization of Ukrainian legislation with European Union law; globalization processes, as Ukraine is a member of the world community and modern economic, environmental, legal, etc. phenomena have a direct impact on national state processes, and on the legal reality, and on the rights and freedoms of the individual. It is determined that the recognition of new human rights, the expansion of the existing list - one of the trends in the development of the legal status of the individual. And when regulating relations in the field of somatic claims through the category of human rights, it should be borne in mind that somatic human rights should be characterized by what characterizes the category of human rights in general. It is pointed out that in human history no "new right" has really been recognized without a struggle and without overcoming the fierce opposition of some "old rights". It is proved that the legal regulation of the possibility of exercising somatic rights in the international arena (primarily within the European Union) has significantly improved. Basically, we are talking about the existing basic (basic) regulations in the field we study. Thus, among the most important of them, we should first focus on such as, the Council of Europe Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine 1997, the EU Council Recommendation of June 29, 1998 "On the suitability of blood and plasma donors and donor blood screening. in the European Community" (98/463 / EC), Directive 2004/23 / EC of 31 March 2004 on the establishment of quality and safety standards for the donation, purchase, testing, treatment, preservation, storage and distribution of human tissues and cells". That is, we believe that the Council of Europe and the European Union, as regional international organizations, have established common normative criteria for the possibility of implementing and protecting somatic human rights in general and in the field of biomedical research in particular.

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