Ergot sclerotia in wheat from France in Belgium
Ergot sclerotia in wheat from France in Belgium
Ergot alkaloids in wheat, from France in Belgium and the Netherlands
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Category Archives: Fusarium Toxin
RASFF Alert- Mycotoxin – Ergot – Wheat
Posted in Ergot, Ergot Alkaloids, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Fusarium Toxin, Mycotoxin, RASFF, Rye Ergot
Research – The Hidden Risks of Rice and Flour: Brazilian Study Uncovers Alarming Mycotoxin Levels in Everyday Foods
The foods, found in the homes of Brazilian families participating in the research, were stored for future consumption. The study is the first in Brazil to use biomarkers to characterize the risk associated with mycotoxins in the diet.
Researchers from the University of São Paulo (USP) analyzed samples of flour and rice stored in homes in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil, and discovered high levels of fungal toxins (mycotoxins). The study, supported by FAPESP, was published in the journal Food Research International.
As the authors point out, dietary exposure to mycotoxins can trigger a range of health problems, especially in children and adolescents. The data therefore reinforce the importance of storing foods such as grains and flour in dry places and protecting them from insects to avoid the risk of contamination.
Research – Analysis of flour and rice shows high levels of harmful fungal toxins
By analyzing samples of flour and rice stored in homes in Ribeirão Preto, in the interior of the state of São Paulo (Brazil), researchers from the University of São Paulo (USP) found the presence of high levels of fungal toxins (mycotoxins). The study is published in the journal Food Research International.
The six toxins of concern were found in all the food samples analyzed: aflatoxins (AFs), fumonisins (FBs), zearalenone (ZEN), T-2 toxin, deoxynivalenol (DON), and ochratoxin A (OTA). In the case of the mycotoxins FBs, ZEN, and DON, the levels were above the tolerance limit set by the health authorities. This study was the first in Brazil to use biomarkers to characterize the risk associated with mycotoxins in the diet of children and adolescents.
RASFF Alert – Mycotoxin – Fumonisins – Corn Flour
Fumonisins in corn flour from France in Belgium. Germany, Luxembourg and Netherlands
Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Fumomisins, Fumonsins, Fusarium Toxin, Mold Toxin, Mould Toxin, Mycotoxin, RASFF
Luxembourg – Africa Village brand white corn flour – Mycotoxin – Fumonisins
The following product is recalled in Luxembourg:
| Name | White corn flour |
| Brand | Africa Village |
| Unit | 1.0 kg |
| Minimum Durability Date (MBD) | 03/31/2024 |
Danger: Too high fumonisin content
Fumonisins are toxins formed by molds of the Fusarium genus on corn under certain climatic conditions. Fumonisins are classified as “possible carcinogen” for humans.
The product can be distributed by different points of sale in Luxembourg.
Posted in Carcinogen, food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Fumomisins, Fumonsins, Fusarium Toxin, mold, Mold Toxin, Mould/Mold
France – White Corn Flour – Mycotoxin – Fumonisins
Product category
Food
Product subcategory
Cereals and bakery products
Product brand name
MOLINO COMIRATO
Model names or references
White Corn Flour MOLINO COMIRATO
Product identification
Batch Date
2208030 Minimum durability date 08/31/2024
2208130 Minimum durability date 09/30/2024
Packaging
25KG
Start/end date of marketing
From 08/30/2023 to 03/19/2024
Storage temperature
Product to be stored at room temperature
Geographical sales area
Whole France
Distributors
List_of brands_PDF
Posted in food contamination, food handler, Food Hazard, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Food Quality, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Safety Management, Food Safety Regulations, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Fumomisins, Fusarium Toxin, Mold Toxin, Mould Toxin, Mycotoxin
Research – Chapter 12 – Mycotoxins in cereals
Abstract
Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites of filamentous food-borne fungi that grow worldwide on a variety of cereals and other agricultural produce. Aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, fumonisins, trichothecenes, and zearalenone occur on cereals and lead to mycotoxicoses among humans, animals, and poultry. Some mycotoxins are carcinogenic, hepatotoxic, nephrotoxic, dermatoxic, genotoxic, teratogenic, immunotoxic, or estrogenic. Good agricultural practice involving sound preharvest practices such as optimum tillage, crop rotation, planting date, avoidance of drought stress, and optimal fertilization contributes to the production of healthy crops. Biocontrol agents, such as Aflasafe, and genetically modified insect-resistant maize, such as Bt maize, reduce mycotoxin formation in maize. Hygienic storage conditions contribute to the prevention of mycotoxin formation. Reliable analytical results are necessary for compliance with mycotoxin regulations and control procedures to facilitate the international trade of cereals. Compliance with regulations of international food safety authorities as well as public awareness of mycotoxins should enhance the protection of populations from the adverse health effects of mycotoxins.
Research- Determination of Mycotoxins in Plant-Based Meat Alternatives (PBMAs) and Ingredients after Microwave Cooking
Abstract
In this study, we investigate the role of microwave cooking in reducing mycotoxin contamination in plant-based food matrices, with a focus on veggie burgers (purchased and home-made) and their ingredients (soybean, potatoes, zucchini, carrots). Two different conditions were studied (Max–Min) that were 800 W for 60 s and 800 W for 90 s, respectively. The degradation patterns of aflatoxins (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2), fumonisins (FB1, FB2, FB3), trichothecenes (T2, HT2, ZEA), and ochratoxin A (OTA) were studied. The extraction procedures were conducted with the QuEChERS extraction, and the analyses were conducted with liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that degradation under microwave cooking varies considerably across different food matrices and cooking conditions. This study provides valuable insights into the degradation of mycotoxins during microwave cooking and underscores the need for more research in this area to ensure food safety.
Research – Food Safety Aspects of Breeding Maize to Multi-Resistance against the Major (Fusarium graminearum, F. verticillioides, Aspergillus flavus) and Minor Toxigenic Fungi (Fusarium spp.) as Well as to Toxin Accumulation, Trends, and Solutions—A Review
Abstract
Maize is the crop which is most commonly exposed to toxigenic fungi that produce many toxins that are harmful to humans and animals alike. Preharvest grain yield loss, preharvest toxin contamination (at harvest), and storage loss are estimated to be between 220 and 265 million metric tons. In the past ten years, the preharvest mycotoxin damage was stable or increased mainly in aflatoxin and fumonisins. The presence of multiple toxins is characteristic. The few breeding programs concentrate on one of the three main toxigenic fungi. About 90% of the experiments except AFB1 rarely test toxin contamination. As disease resistance and resistance to toxin contamination often differ in regard to F. graminearum, F. verticillioides, and A. flavus and their toxins, it is not possible to make a food safety evaluation according to symptom severity alone. The inheritance of the resistance is polygenic, often mixed with epistatic and additive effects, but only a minor part of their phenotypic variation can be explained. All tests are made by a single inoculum (pure isolate or mixture). Genotype ranking differs between isolates and according to aggressiveness level; therefore, the reliability of such resistance data is often problematic. Silk channel inoculation often causes lower ear rot severity than we find in kernel resistance tests. These explain the slow progress and raise skepticism towards resistance breeding. On the other hand, during genetic research, several effective putative resistance genes were identified, and some overlapped with known QTLs. QTLs were identified as securing specific or general resistance to different toxicogenic species. Hybrids were identified with good disease and toxin resistance to the three toxigenic species. Resistance and toxin differences were often tenfold or higher, allowing for the introduction of the resistance and resistance to toxin accumulation tests in the variety testing and the evaluation of the food safety risks of the hybrids within 2–3 years. Beyond this, resistance breeding programs and genetic investigations (QTL-analyses, GWAM tests, etc.) can be improved. All other research may use it with success, where artificial inoculation is necessary. The multi-toxin data reveal more toxins than we can treat now. Their control is not solved. As limits for nonregulated toxins can be introduced, or the existing regulations can be made to be stricter, the research should start. We should mention that a higher resistance to F. verticillioides and A. flavus can be very useful to balance the detrimental effect of hotter and dryer seasons on aflatoxin and fumonisin contamination. This is a new aspect to secure food and feed safety under otherwise damaging climatic conditions. The more resistant hybrids are to the three main agents, the more likely we are to reduce the toxin losses mentioned by about 50% or higher.
Research – Novel Methods for the Mitigation of Human Pathogens and Mycotoxin Contamination of High Value California Specialty Crops
Successful execution of these Objectives will contribute to field by: improving our knowledge of how microbial populations can affect and impact food safety and public health and delineating how pathogens are transmitted and disseminated in and among plant crops allowing for future development of improved/alternate interventions and control strategies
(Objectives 1-4); developing novel intervention strategies using sustainable, natural fungicide alternatives that eliminate aflatoxigenic fungi; enhancing our knowledge regarding the prevalence of azole-resistant aspergilli with enhanced aflatoxin production
(Objective 5); and developing novel methods to control invasive insect pests and reducing the need for the use of radioisotopes for irradiation
(Objective 6). These Objectives, if successful, will allow growers to produce a safer food supply and reduce the use of toxic chemicals (pesticides) and enhance environmental quality.
Objective 1: Identify and characterize agricultural soils that suppress the persistence of the human pathogenic bacteria Salmonella enterica, Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7.
Objective 2: Examine the microbiomes, potential for human pathogen colonization, and effectiveness of biological control agents on lettuces grown in indoor vertical hydroponic systems.
Objective 3: Examine the effects of bacterial biocontrol candidate strains on population dynamics of black Aspergillus spp. on grapes and raisins.
Objective 4: Identification and utilization of antifungal metabolites from microbial sources as interventions. •
Sub-objective 4A: Identification of antifungal metabolites from candidate biocontrol bacteria collected from raisin grape vineyards. •
Sub-objective 4B: Isolation and characterization of bacteria with antifungal activities from pistachio orchards.
Objective 5: Development of resistance management augmenting fungal and mycotoxin elimination. •
Sub-objective 5A: Determine the prevalence of azole-resistant aspergilli (A. flavus, A. parasiticus) that produce increased levels of mycotoxins in California tree nut orchards. •
Sub-objective 5B: Develop new intervention strategies for the control of azole-resistant Aspergillus species utilizing natural products/derivatives as fungicide alternatives.
Objective 6: Investigate novel methods to address mycotoxin contamination of tree nuts through control of fungal and insect vectors. •
Sub-objective 6A: Evaluate X-ray based irradiation as an alternative to gamma irradiation for SIT. •
Sub-objective 6B: Investigate high pressure steam as a tool for orchard sanitation through destruction of overwintering NOW larvae in pistachio mummies.
Objective 7: The use of previously approved natural products as an accelerated chemical interventions strategy to inhibit food-associated mycotoxins, fungal pathogens, and their insect pest transmitters. •
Sub-objective 7A: Identify previously approved natural products that inhibit mycotoxins and fungal pathogens frequently found in food contaminations. •
Sub-objective 7B: Identify previously approved natural products that immunosuppress insect pests and increase their sensitivity to microbes.
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