scholarly journals Promising Detoxification Approaches to Mitigate Aflatoxins in Foods and Feeds

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vishakha Pandey
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Quality ◽  
International Market ◽  
Economic Importance ◽  
Trade Barrier ◽  
Aspergillus Species ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Contaminated Food ◽  
Food And Feed

Aflatoxins are a group of naturally occurring carcinogenic mycotoxins produced by certain Aspergillus species in nuts, grains, oilseeds and vegetables. Ingestion of aflatoxin contaminated food and feed has extremely negative health implications in humans and livestocks. Additionally, exporting countries face the trade barrier due to strict regulations in international market to maintain food quality. This led to huge economic losses to global exporters. Therefore, there is an urgent need for development of effective methods for detoxification of aflatoxins from food and feed to ensure food security. Till date, numerous methods for detoxification of aflatoxins from foods have been employed. Physical, chemical and biological treatment are the novel promising approaches for partial/complete detoxification of aflatoxins from the foodstuffs. In this chapter, we will address the efficacy and shortcomings of each methods in with respect to economic importance, human health and food security.

scholarly journals The Utility of the Upcoming HyspIRI’s Simulated Spectral Settings in Detecting Maize Gray Leafy Spot in Relation to Sentinel-2 MSI, VENµS, and Landsat 8 OLI Sensors

Agronomy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 846
Author(s):  
Mbulisi Sibanda ◽  
Onisimo Mutanga ◽  
Timothy Dube ◽  
John Odindi ◽  
Paramu L. Mafongoya
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Precision Agriculture ◽  
Leaf Spot ◽  
Gray Leaf Spot ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Leaf Spot Disease ◽  
Landsat 8 ◽  
Landsat 8 Oli ◽  
Maize Crop ◽  
Sentinel 2

Considering the high maize yield loses caused by incidences of disease, as well as incomprehensive monitoring initiatives in crop farming, there is a need for spatially explicit, cost-effective, and consistent approaches for monitoring, as well as for forecasting, food-crop diseases, such as maize Gray Leaf Spot. Such approaches are valuable in reducing the associated economic losses while fostering food security. In this study, we sought to investigate the utility of the forthcoming HyspIRI sensor in detecting disease progression of Maize Gray Leaf Spot infestation in relation to the Sentinel-2 MSI and Landsat 8 OLI spectral configurations simulated using proximally sensed data. Healthy, intermediate, and severe categories of maize crop infections by the Gray Leaf Spot disease were discriminated based on partial least squares–discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) algorithm. Comparatively, the results show that the HyspIRI’s simulated spectral settings slightly performed better than those of Sentinel-2 MSI, VENµS, and Landsat 8 OLI sensor. HyspIRI exhibited an overall accuracy of 0.98 compared to 0.95, 0.93, and 0.89, which were exhibited by Sentinel-2 MSI, VENµS, and Landsat 8 OLI sensor sensors, respectively. Furthermore, the results showed that the visible section, red-edge, and NIR covered by all the four sensors were the most influential spectral regions for discriminating different Maize Gray Leaf Spot infections. These findings underscore the potential value of the upcoming hyperspectral HyspIRI sensor in precision agriculture and forecasting of crop-disease epidemics, which are necessary to ensure food security.

scholarly journals Sex Differences in Spatial Activity and Anxiety Levels in the COVID-19 Pandemic from Evolutionary Perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1110
Author(s):  
Olga Semenova ◽  
Julia Apalkova ◽  
Marina Butovskaya
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Risks ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
General Level ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Health Attitudes ◽  
Spatial Activity ◽  
Sexual Specialization ◽  
The Face ◽  
Novel Virus ◽  
Virus Spreading

Despite the enforced lockdown regime in late March 2020 in Russia, the phenomenon of the continued virus spreading highlighted the importance of studies investigating the range of biosocial attributes and spectrum of individual motivations underlying the permanent presence of the substantial level of spatial activity. For this matter, we conducted a set of surveys between March and June 2020 (N = 492). We found that an individual’s health attitude is the most consistent factor explaining mobility differences. However, our data suggested that wariness largely determines adequate health attitudes; hence, a higher level of wariness indirectly reduced individual mobility. Comparative analysis revealed the critical biosocial differences between the two sexes, potentially rooted in the human evolutionary past. Females were predisposed to express more wariness in the face of new environmental risks; therefore, they minimize their mobility and outdoor contacts. In contrast to them, the general level of spatial activity reported by males was significantly higher. Wariness in the males’ sample was less associated with the novel virus threat, but to a great extent, it was predicted by the potential economic losses variable. These findings correspond to the evolutionary predictions of sexual specialization and the division of family roles.

scholarly journals A survey of AFM1 contamination in row cow milk produced in region of Kumanovo

2019 ◽  
Vol 65 (2) ◽  
pp. 49-55
Author(s):  
Iva Furunovikj-Dimitrijevski ◽  
Suzana Angelova ◽  
Kristina Shutevska ◽  
Tatjana Kadifkova Panovska
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Fluorescence Detection ◽  
Aspergillus Species ◽  
Cow Milk ◽  
Aflatoxin M1 ◽  
Staple Food ◽  
Surrounding Area ◽  
Continuous Development ◽  
Contaminated Food ◽  
Analytical Result

Aflatoxins (AFs) are type of mycotoxins produced by certain Aspergillus species. In the livers of cows, the aflatoxin В1 (AFB1) ingested with contaminated food is metabolized in carcinogenic aflatoxin М1 (AFM1) which is then excreted in the milk and poses a serious risk to the health of the consumers. In January of 2019, twenty five (25) samples of milk were collected from local farms in the surrounding area of Kumanovo, Republic of North Macedonia. The samples were analysed in the Centre for Public Health, Kumanovo. A method MKC EN ISO 14501:2007 for analysis of AFM1 by HPLC with fluorescence detection was applied. This method is selective, precise and applicative. The final analytical result has shown AFM1 below the LOD in any of the analyzed samples. Due to the well-known fact that AFM1 is toxic, i.e. carcinogenic and the fact that milk is widely used as staple food, continuous development as well as introduction of new, more sensitive methods for detection of AFM1 are required. Keywords: Aflatoxin M1, HPLC-FLD, milk

Impact of natural hazards on the evolving COVID-19 pandemic: cases from Greece

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Mavrouli ◽  
Spyridon Mavroulis ◽  
Efthymios Lekkas
Keyword(s):  
Built Environment ◽  
Natural Hazards ◽  
Local Population ◽  
World Health ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Hydrological Hazards ◽  
Eastern Aegean ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Post Disaster

<p>The first confirmed COVID-19 case was reported in December 2019. Over the first months of 2020, the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus was spread worldwide resulting in the declaration on March 11, 2020 of a global COVID-19 pandemic by the World Health Organization. The evolving pandemic has resulted in over 1900000 fatalities worldwide (as of January 8, 2021), while all sectors of the everyday life has been affected in numerous and varied ways. Natural hazards did not stop for the novel coronavirus. When the natural hazards cross the path of an evolving pandemic, compound emergencies emerge and are characterized by various effects and new unprecedented challenges.</p><p>Greece was no exception. Geological, hydrological and meteorological hazards took place in several parts of the country and they affected the local population, the natural and the built environment including buildings, infrastructures and lifelines. Among the most destructive effects in terms of human and economic losses was the March 21, 2020, Mw=5.7, Epirus (northwestern Greece) earthquake, the August 9, 2020, Evia (central Greece) flood, the September 17, 2020, Ianos medicane and the October 30, 2020, Mw=7.0, Samos (Eastern Aegean Sea) earthquake.</p><p>In order to identify the potential impact of the aforementioned disasters on the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic in the disaster-affected areas, the officially reported laboratory-confirmed daily COVID-19 cases for the pre- and post- disaster periods from the disaster-affected areas were used. The impact of disasters in the evolution of the pandemic in the studied disaster-affected areas comprises increasing and decreasing trends and stability of the COVID-19 cases during the post-disaster period. More specifically, the geological and the hydrological hazards and the induced disasters negligibly affected the evolution of pandemic in the affected areas, while the hydrometeorological hazards resulted in increasing trends of the post-disaster reported COVID-19 cases in various affected areas.</p><p>The detected trends are strongly associated with the pre-existing viral load and infection rate in the disaster-affected areas, to the emergency response actions adapted to adopt provisional measures for the mitigation and elimination of COVID-19 consequences, to demographic features of the affected areas and to the intensity of the induced disasters and their effects on the local population (fatalities and injuries), the natural environment (primary and secondary environmental effects) and the built environment (structural damage to buildings, infrastructures and lifelines).</p>

Reference on Mycotoxins Occurrence, Prevalence, and Risk Assessment in Food Systems

2019 ◽  
pp. 294-343
Author(s):  
Griffiths Atungulu ◽  
Zeinab Mohammadi-Shad
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Filamentous Fungi ◽  
Human Exposure ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Animal Products ◽  
Food And Feed ◽  
Feed Safety ◽  
And Storage ◽  
Food And Feed Safety

Mycotoxins are a group of naturally occurring toxins that are produced by different filamentous fungi genera such as Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, etc. The word mycotoxin literally is derived from Greek word “myke” meaning fungus and “toxicum” meaning toxin. These contaminants can develop on different food and feed commodities during different stages including pre-harvest, harvest, and storage. Mycotoxins are of concern because their outbreak result in animal and human diseases and economic losses. It has been estimated that global post-harvest losses are approximately at 50%. Human exposure to mycotoxins is typically through consumption of contaminated agricultural products or indirectly by consumption of animal products containing mycotoxins or their metabolites. The chapter provides the latest information on mycotoxin issues and challenges related to food and feed safety.

scholarly journals Sesquiterpenes and Cyclodepsipeptides from Marine-Derived Fungus Trichoderma longibrachiatum and Their Antagonistic Activities against Soil-Borne Pathogens

Marine Drugs ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Feng-Yu Du ◽  
Guang-Lin Ju ◽  
Lin Xiao ◽  
Yuan-Ming Zhou ◽  
Xia Wu
Keyword(s):  
Phytopathogenic Fungi ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Root Knot Nematode ◽  
Trichoderma Longibrachiatum ◽  
Soil Borne Pathogens ◽  
Antifungal Potential ◽  
Antagonistic Potential ◽  
Southern Root Knot Nematode ◽  
Better Than

Soil-borne pathogens, including phytopathogenic fungi and root-knot nematodes, could synergistically invade vegetable roots and result in serious economic losses. The genus of Trichoderma has been proven to be a promising reservoir of biocontrol agents in agriculture. In this study, the search for antagonistic metabolites from a marine-derived fungus, Trichoderma longibrachiatum, obtained two structural series of sesquiterpenes 1–6 and cyclodepsipeptides 7–9. Notably, the novel 1 was a rare norsesquiterpene characterized by an unprecedented tricyclic-6/5/5-[4.3.1.01,6]-decane skeleton. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analyses, while the absolute configuration of novel 1 was determined by the comparison of experimental and calculated ECD spectra. The novel 1 and known 2 and 3 showed significant antifungal activities against Colletotrichum lagrnarium with MIC values of 8, 16, and 16 μg/mL respectively, even better than those of the commonly used synthetic fungicide carbendazim with 32 μg/mL. They also exhibited antifungal potential against carbendazim-resistant Botrytis cinerea. Cyclodepsipeptides 7–9 showed moderate nematicidal activities against the southern root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita). This study constitutes the first report on the antagonistic effects of metabolites from T. Longibrachiatum against soil-borne pathogens, also highlighting the integrated antagonistic potential of marine-derived T. Longibrachiatum as a biocontrol agent.

scholarly journals Present Status and Perspective on the Future Use of Aflatoxin Biocontrol Products

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 491 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Moral ◽  
Maria Teresa Garcia-Lopez ◽  
Boris X. Camiletti ◽  
Ramon Jaime ◽  
Themis J. Michailides ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aflatoxin Contamination ◽  
Review Article ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Future Perspectives ◽  
Important Food ◽  
Active Ingredients ◽  
Practical Strategy ◽  
The Us ◽  
Food And Feed ◽  
Agricultural Industries

Aflatoxin contamination of important food and feed crops occurs frequently in warm tropical and subtropical regions. The contamination is caused mainly by Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus. Aflatoxin contamination negatively affects health and trade sectors and causes economic losses to agricultural industries. Many pre- and post-harvest technologies can limit aflatoxin contamination but may not always reduce aflatoxin concentrations below tolerance thresholds. However, the use of atoxigenic (non-toxin producing) isolates of A. flavus to competitively displace aflatoxin producers is a practical strategy that effectively limits aflatoxin contamination in crops from field to plate. Biocontrol products formulated with atoxigenic isolates as active ingredients have been registered for use in the US, several African nations, and one such product is in final stages of registration in Italy. Many other nations are seeking to develop biocontrol products to protect their crops. In this review article we present an overview of the biocontrol technology, explain the basis to select atoxigenic isolates as active ingredients, describe how formulations are developed and tested, and describe how a biocontrol product is used commercially. Future perspectives on formulations of aflatoxin biocontrol products, along with other important topics related to the aflatoxin biocontrol technology are also discussed.

scholarly journals Acoustic, Pitfall Trap, and Visual Surveys of Stored Product Insect Pests in Kenyan Warehouses

Insects ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anastasia Njoroge ◽  
Hippolyte Affognon ◽  
Uwe Richter ◽  
Oliver Hensel ◽  
Barukh Rohde ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Background Noise ◽  
Insect Pests ◽  
Pitfall Trap ◽  
Economic Importance ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Prostephanus Truncatus ◽  
Postharvest Losses ◽  
Stored Product Pest ◽  
Insect Populations

Grain production is an important component of food security in Kenya but due to environmental conditions that favor rapid growth of insect populations, farmers and other agricultural stakeholders face ongoing and novel challenges from crop and stored product pest insects. To assist development of methods to reduce economic losses from stored product insect pests in Kenya, acoustic, visual, and pitfall trap surveys were conducted in five grain storage warehouses. Two commercially available acoustic systems successfully detected the pests of greatest economic importance, Sitophilus zeamais (Motschulsky) and Prostephanus truncatus (Horn). Other insects of lesser economic importance also were observed in the visual surveys, including Sitotroga cerealella (Olivier) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), and Tribolium castaneum (Herbst). This study demonstrated that the use of acoustic technology with visual surveys and pitfall traps can help managers to identify and target infestations within their warehouses, enabling them to reduce postharvest losses. With most warehouses being located in relatively noisy urban or peri-urban areas, background noise considerations are being incorporated into the design of future acoustic detectors for stored pest infestations. Kenya must import grain yearly to meet consumption needs; however, if the current yearly postharvest losses of 20–30% in warehouses decreased, import costs could be reduced considerably.

scholarly journals Use of Social Media to Enhance Consumers’ Options for Food Quality in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Urban Science ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eihab Fathelrahman ◽  
Aydin Basarir
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Food Quality ◽  
Strong Correlation ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Specific Information ◽  
Consumer Decision Making ◽  
Consumer Access ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
Access To Food

The objective of this research was to study the behavior and attitudes of consumers from the United Arab Emirates towards using the World Wide Web (WWW) for ordering food online, as well as their perception of social media’s (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and WhatsApp) impact on increasing their knowledge about their food quality options. This research question targets social media’s role in aiding consumer decision-making with regard to enhanced food quality choices and thus enhanced food security. The results of this study showed that about 50% of the respondents frequently use a website to order food online in the study area. The analysis of the survey results showed a strong correlation between the frequency of food ordered online by consumers and the number of consumers who sought specific information about food quality, such as those who wished to obtain information about special diets for both medical and non-medical purposes. A strong correlation was also found to exist between the frequency of ordering food online and consumers who often inquired about buying organic food. Furthermore, the authors found the potential and the need for more transparency and enhancement when exchanging information between online food providers and consumers, in order to achieve the country’s food security goal of better consumer access to food quality information.

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