RASFF-shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (stx1+; stx2+; eae-; aatA- /25g) in roastbeef from Argentina in Germany
RASFF-shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (stx2+ /25g) in chilled vacuum-packed beef from Argentina in Italy
RASFF-shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (stx2+ /25g) in frozen boneless beef from Brazil in Italy
RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 75.2 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnut kernels from India in the UK
Posted in Aflatoxin, Animal Feed, Food Toxin, Mycotoxin, Toxin, Uncategorized
Recently, the contamination of food products, particularity cereals with aflatoxins (AF) as secondary metabolites generated by some of fungal genera species raised serious concerns. AF as the highly toxic compounds could pass through metabolic processes in unaltered forms and consequently accumulate in the tissues of humans and animals. The consumption of AF contaminated cereal, cereal‐based products as both food and feed is considered as a serious issue, which should be controlled through conducting prevention strategies and legislation. However, in some cases, the detoxification or elimination process also can be approached. The current article took an overview regarding physicochemical properties of AF, as well as their absorption, digestion, metabolism, and excretion in cereals. Also, the chronic and acute aflatoxicosis along prevention strategies and control mechanisms were discussed.
Cereal and cereal‐based products can be considered as one of the most important sources of food as well as energy in many countries. Despite this, cereals and cereal‐based foods may present contamination by several mycotoxins, as one of the challenging issues in cereal‐based products. The adverse effects of contamination by mycotoxins on food safety and food quality are reserved huge concerns. The knowledge regarding the physicochemical properties of aflatoxins as well as their control can aid the food industry to keep the quality of food products in an acceptable level.
Mycotoxins that contaminate crops and animal feed have been recognized as a risk to farm animals, and account for considerable economic costs to the feed and food industries. Their widespread occurrence and related threat has been documented consistently in the BIOMIN Mycotoxin Survey.
“Mycotoxins are among the most important safety risks for the future livestock feed industry and security of the feed supply chain,” stated Dr Gunther Antonissen of Ghent University in Belgium.
Fungi-produced mycotoxins endanger more than feed safety and security. They also hamper productivity, adding additional cost to the feed and food industry while also affecting the environment.
“Due to their negative effects on farm animal productivity and health, mycotoxins prevent the animal protein industry from achieving an efficient and sustainable use of natural resources,” observed Dr. Wulf-Dieter Moll of the BIOMIN Research Center.
Harmful mycotoxins do not have to contaminate feed in high concentrations to make their negative effects felt in farm animals. “At present, clinical mycotoxicosis caused by high doses is rare,” explained Dr Antonissen.
“However, also the ingestion of low to moderate levels of these toxins cause an array of metabolic, physiologic and immunologic disturbances, with the gastrointestinal tract as one of the major target organs,” he added.
Posted in Aflatoxin, Biotoxin, Food Toxin, Fusarium Toxin, Mycotoxin, Ochratoxin, Saitoxin, Tetrodotoxin, Toxin, Uncategorized
The possible contamination by aflatoxins (AFs), ochratoxin A (OTA), fumonisin B1 (FB1), fusaric acid (FA), and beauvericin (BEA), was investigated in 55 samples of dried figs and dried figs‐based products purchased from the South Italy (Calabria) market. A total of 41 samples showed contamination by at least one of the mycotoxins investigated. Aflatoxin B1 was found in six samples (0.19 — 8.41 μg/kg) total aflatoxins were found in 13 samples (0.5–17.12 μg/kg), OTA was found in 21 samples (<LOQ—158.58 μg/kg), FB1 was found in eight samples (153.81–5,412.96 μg/kg), BEA was found in 12 samples (<LOQ—5,708.49 μg/kg), and FA was found in 28 samples (<LOQ—74,520.20 μg/kg). The analyzed samples were contaminated with one (41.8%), two (7.3%), three (5.5%), four (10.9%), and five (5.5%) mycotoxins. To the best of our knowledge, the incidence of contamination by FA and BEA has been shown for the first time in dried figs.
The present work was focused on mycotoxin mixtures contamination levels of dried figs and dried figs‐based products. It is known that the co‐occurrence of mycotoxins leads to additive or synergistic effects. For some analyzed samples the AFB1, aflatoxins, and ochratoxin A (OTA) levels exceed the European Union countries legal limit. In addition, the simultaneous presence of FB1, FA, and BEA can be a potential threat to the health of consumers. Although different studies examined AFs, OTA, and Fusarium toxins as single mycotoxins in dried figs, to our knowledge, the co‐occurrence of AFs, OTA, FB1, FA, and BEA in dried figs and in dried figs‐based products samples has not been reported previously. Therefore, to prevent mycotoxins contamination, the employment of good practices in all the processing steps is necessary. Furthermore, the quality control of the ingredients used in figs preparations (spices, other dried fruits, cocoa, etc.), usually not adequately, is essential. Finally, it is of importance to establish more stringent rules to ensure food safety, even if no legal limit was still set for Fusarium toxins in dried fruit.
RASFF-Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning (ASP) toxins (38.01 mg/kg – ppm) in live scallops (Pecten Jacobaeus) from Belgium in Italy
RASFF-shigatoxin-producing Escherichia coli (stx1/stx2+; eae+) in sliced salami from Austria in Austria
RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 13 µg/kg – ppb) in hazelnut kernels from Georgia in Bulgaria
RASFF – aflatoxins (B1 = 7.63; Tot. = 18.34 µg/kg – ppb) in red pepper powder from Ethiopia in Germany
RASFF-aflatoxins (Tot. = 15.4 µg/kg – ppb) in ground chilli from Ethiopia in sweden
RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 25; Tot. = 28 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from the United States in the Netherlands
RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 279; Tot. = 303 µg/kg – ppb) in hazelnut kernels from Turkey in Denmark
RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 7.8; Tot. = 8.7 µg/kg – ppb) in Brazil nuts from Bolivia, via the Netherlands in Belgium
RASFF-aflatoxins (B1 = 8.9; Tot. = 10 µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from Turkey in Denmark
A TEEN girl spent 11 days in intensive care after being struck down with an E. coli infection at the same Egyptian resort a Brit couple died for the same illness.
Anna Doherty, 19, said she became ill after succumbing to an infection while staying at the Jasmine Palace Hotel in the resort of Hurghada.
Elizabeth Austin, 29, fell violently ill on a trip to Egypt where she stayed at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic hotel with Thomas Cook, just like the Coopers.
Luay Mohammed, 7, spent over three weeks in intensive care after contracting salmonella, which led to sepsis and a stroke while on holiday in Egypt at the Tia Heights Hotel in Hurghada.
John and Susan Cooper, from Burnley, Lancashire, died in Hurghada on 21 August, during a stay at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic hotel.
In an official statement, the Egyptian general prosecutor said post-mortem examinations showed E. coli bacteria was the cause of the death.
Last week, tests on the food and hygiene standards at the hotel identified a high level of e.coli and staphylococcus bacteria, Thomas Cook said.
Make sure your food has been thoroughly cooked and is still hot or chilled when served,” an ABTA spokesman told Express.co.uk.
“Avoid any uncooked food, apart from fruits and vegetables. Also, try not to mix up different food types by piling everything on one plate, remember you can always go back for another course.
Keep an eye out for signs of poor hygiene, the WHO recommends, such as the presence of pests and flies or uncleaned surfaces. Consider whether the food is handled manually of whether there are enough utensils to handle the food without contaminating it.
“Always wash your hands before eating,” advises Marc Jordan Group Head of Health and Safety at Thomas Cook Group, “and watch out for other customers mixing up utensils at the buffet as cross-contamination between food items can lead to illness.”
However, it might not always be food poisoning you’re suffering from. “Bear in mind that a lot of stomach upsets on holiday are caused by overconsumption rather than food poisoning, so eat and drink in moderation,” ABTA points out.
FoodWorld 