Category Archives: Mycotoxin

RASFF Alerts – Aflatoxin – Milk – Chilli Mix -Groundnuts – Chilli Powder –

Posted on October 12, 2020 by | Leave a comment

European Food Alerts

RASFF

aflatoxins (Tot. = 0.214 µg/kg – ppb) in milk from Italy in Italy

RASFF

aflatoxins (B1 = 26.8; Tot. = 78.8 µg/kg – ppb) in chili mix powder from Ethiopia, packaged in Germany in Switzerland

RASFF

aflatoxins (B1 = 8.2; Tot. = 9.4 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from the United States in the Netherlands

RASFF

aflatoxins (B1 = 7.9; Tot. = 9.1 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from Argentina in the Netherlands

RASFF

aflatoxins (B1 = 16.4; Tot. = 17.4 µg/kg – ppb) in chilli powder from Sri Lanka in the UK

RASFF

aflatoxins (B1 = 11; Tot. = 13 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from India, via Switzerland in the Netherlands

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Posted in Aflatoxin, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Temperature Abuse, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Mould Toxin, Mycotoxin, RASFF, Toxin

RASFF Alert – Ochratoxin A – Date Syrup

Posted on October 12, 2020 by | Leave a comment

European Food Alerts

RASFF

ochratoxin A (27.9 µg/kg – ppb) in date syrup from Sweden, via the Netherlands in Germany

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Posted in Food Toxin, Mould Toxin, Mycotoxin, Ochratoxin, RASFF

RASFF Alerts – Animal Feed – Aflatoxin – Peanuts – Groundnuts

Posted on October 12, 2020 by | Leave a comment

European Food Alerts

RASFF

aflatoxins (B1 = 47.2; Tot. = 56.1 µg/kg – ppb) in peanuts from Argentina in Germany

RASFF

aflatoxins (B1 = 63.3 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from the United States in the UK

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Posted in Aflatoxin, Animal Feed, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbiology, mold, Mould Toxin, Moulds, Mycotoxin, RASFF

Research – Fate of aflatoxins during almond oil processing

Posted on October 11, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Journal of Food Protection

Almonds rejected as inedible are often used for production of almond oil. However, low-quality almonds are frequently contaminated with aflatoxins, and little is known regarding transfer of aflatoxins to almond oil during processing. In this study, oil was produced from reject almonds by hexane extraction. Of 19 almond samples that were naturally contaminated with aflatoxins, 17 oil samples contained measurable amounts of aflatoxins, and aflatoxin content of contaminated oil was correlated with aflatoxin content of the nuts. However, oil aflatoxin levels were not correlated with the oxidation level of the oil as measured by percent free fatty acids and peroxide value. Adsorbents used in oil refining were tested for their ability to remove aflatoxins from contaminated oil. Fuller’s earth and bentonite were the most effective, removing 96% and 86% of total aflatoxins from contaminated oil samples, respectively. Treatment with diatomaceous earth, in contrast, had no effect on aflatoxin levels in oil. These results show that oil refining steps using mineral clay adsorbents may also function to remove aflatoxins from contaminated oil.

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Posted in Aflatoxin, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Food Temperature Abuse, Food Testing, Food Toxin, microbial contamination, Microbiology, mold, Mould Toxin, Mycotoxin

Research – Animal Health – Mycotoxin – Beauvericin a Fusarium Mycotoxin

Posted on October 4, 2020 by | Leave a comment

All About Feed

Beauvericin is a Fusarium mycotoxin known for its antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties, but it also causes oxidative stress and cell death.

Although these biological activities are mainly interesting for drug development, chronic animal exposure to such a chemical via feed will certainly influence performance and health status. Even though this mycotoxin is still ‘emerging’, its presence in feed materials has been known for many years.

Beauvericin (BEA) is commonly found as a co-contaminant in grains where other Fusarium mycotoxins such as Deoxynivalenol (DON) and Zearalenone (ZEA) are present. From the feedstuffs we evaluate at Schothorst Feed Research (SFR), BEA is often detected in corn and soy hulls at levels varying from 10 to 500 µg/kg. However, much higher contamination levels have been reported by others. As was published by All About Feed in 2010, a study performed in South Korea showed that 27% of feed ingredients were then contaminated with BEA at levels up to 1.8 mg/kg (almost 4 times higher than our findings). These levels can be extremely high, reaching circa 500 mg/kg in corn as was reported by Logrieco and others in the 1990s. Although these are extreme levels and they only occur occasionally, the constant presence of this mycotoxin is feedstuffs should be of concern to nutritionists and veterinarians.

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Posted in Animal Feed, BEA, Beauvericin, deoxynivalenol, DON, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Safety, Fusarium Toxin, microbial contamination, Microbiology, mold, Mould Toxin, Moulds, Mycotoxin, Toxin, Zearalenone

RASFF Alerts – Aflatoxin – Peanuts – Dried Figs – Pistachio Kernels – Blanched Peanuts

Posted on October 2, 2020 by | Leave a comment

European Food Alerts

RASFF

aflatoxins (B1 = 50.4; Tot. = 76 µg/kg – ppb) in peanuts from Nigeria in the UK

RASFF

aflatoxins (B1 = 16.5; Tot. = 28.9 µg/kg – ppb) in dried figs from Turkey in Norway

RASFF

aflatoxins (B1 = 120; Tot. = 130 µg/kg – ppb) in pistachio kernel from Turkey in the Netherlands

RASFF

aflatoxins (B1 = 4.6; Tot. = 16 µg/kg – ppb) in blanched peanuts from Argentina in the Netherlands

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Posted in Aflatoxin, Biotoxin, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Mould Toxin, Mycotoxin, RASFF

RASFF Alert – Ochratoxin A – Figs

Posted on October 2, 2020 by | Leave a comment

European Food Alerts

RASFF

ochratoxin A (28 µg/kg – ppb) in figs from Turkey in the Netherlands

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Posted in Biotoxin, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, Mould Toxin, Mycotoxin, Ochratoxin, RASFF, Toxin

RASFF Alerts – Aflatoxin – Watermelon Seeds – Shelled Pistachios – Fish Massala Spice Mix – Groundnuts – Hazlenut Meal

Posted on September 25, 2020 by | Leave a comment

European Food Alerts

RASFF

aflatoxins (B1 = 3.3. µg/kg – ppb) in watermelon seeds from Turkey in Germany

RASFF

aflatoxins (B1 = 23; Tot. = 24 µg/kg – ppb) in shelled pistachios from Iran in France

RASFF

aflatoxins (B1 = 13.8; Tot. = 15.1 µg/kg – ppb) in fish massala spice mix from Pakistan in Greece

RASFF

aflatoxins (B1 = 5.6; Tot. = 5.6 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts in shell from China in Spain

RASFF

aflatoxins (B1 = 27.2; Tot. = 58.8 µg/kg – ppb) in hazelnut meal from Georgia in Bulgaria

RASFF

aflatoxins (B1 = 66.7; Tot. = 110 µg/kg – ppb) in groundnuts from Togo in Belgium

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Posted in Aflatoxin, Biotoxin, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Testing, Food Toxin, microbial contamination, Microbiology, mold, Mould Toxin, Moulds, Mycotoxin

Research – Potential of pulsed electric field to control Aspergillus parasiticus, aflatoxin and mutagenicity levels: Sesame seed quality

Posted on September 19, 2020 by | Leave a comment

Wiley Online

kswfoodworld

Image CDC

Seed processing technologies are essential for seed safety and functionality through protection of physicochemical quality, pathogen inactivation, aflatoxin detoxification and alleviation of mutagenicity. Design of a pilot‐scale unit of pulsed electric fields (PEF) to treat sesame seeds with respect to quality parameters, Aspergillus parasiticus inactivation and aflatoxin reduction as well as alleviation of aflatoxin mutagenicity were prompted in this study. PEF energy ranged from 0.97 to 17.28 J achieved maximum reductions of peroxide value and acidity number of 67.4 and 85.7%, respectively, and did not change color L*, a*, b* and hue values. A 60% reduction of A. parasiticus counts occurred at the maximum PEF energy. Aflatoxins G1, G2, B1, and B2 contents decreased by 94.7, 92.7, 86.9, and 98.7%, respectively. Except for the samples treated by 2.16 J with 100 μg/plate and by 6.80 J with 10 μg/plate, PEF treatment provided elimination of aflatoxin mutagenity. It is concluded that PEF treatment can be used to treat sesame seeds with preservation of physicochemical properties, inactivation of A. parasiticus and decomposition of aflatoxins with reduced mutagenicity.

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Posted in Aflatoxin, Aspergillus, Biotoxin, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Poisoning, Food Safety, Food Testing, Food Toxin, microbial contamination, Microbiology, Mould Toxin, Moulds, Mycotoxin

Denmark – Risk of mold in various rye breads

Posted on September 18, 2020 by | Leave a comment

DVFA

kswfoodworld

Image CDC

Lantmännen Schulstad is recalling several types of rye bread, after several own samples show that there is a risk of mold in several types of rye bread. The company has also received some customer complaints.
The risk of mold makes the rye breads unsuitable as food.

Recalled Foods , Published: September 18, 2020

Rye bread produced from 09-09-2020 to 10-09-2020 and exclusively with letter markings PH, PI and PG and “best before” dates from 18.09 and 19.09.
What food:
Forester 
Net weight: 1000 grams
Best before date: 18.09.PH, 18.09.PI, 19.09.PH, 19.09.PI
EAN barcode: 5701205005498
Forester 
Net weight: 500 grams
Best before date: 18.09.PG, 18.09.PI, 19.09.PG, 19.09.PI
EAN barcode: 5701205005481
Sch. Schwarzbrød
Net weight: 1000 grams
Best before date: 18.09.PH, 18.09.PI, 19.09.PH, 19.09.PI
EAN barcode: 5701205005498
Sold in:
Shops across the country
What food:
Coop COOP Schwarzbrot
Net weight: 500 grams
Best before date: 18.09.PG, 18.09.PI, 19.09.PG, 19.09.PI
EAN barcode: 5700383226435
 
Sold in:
COOP stores nationwide
What food:
Rema 1000 Schwarzbrød
Net weight: 500 grams
Best before date: 18.09.PG, 18.09.PI, 19.09.PG, 19.09.PI
EAN barcode: 5705830010704
REMA 1000 Coarse Rye Bread 
Net weight: 1000 grams
Best before date: 18.09.PH, 18.09.PI, 19.09.PH, 19.09.PI
EAN barcode: 5705830600752
Sold in:
REMA1000 stores nationwide
Rye bread produced from 09-09-2020 to 17-09-2020 and exclusively with letter marking AI and “best before” dates from 18.09 and 25.09.
What food:
Kondi Karl Rye Bread 
Net weight: 500 grams
Best before date: 18.09 to 25.09 AI
EAN barcode: 5701205005511
Livelihood Kernegrov 
Net weight: 475 grams
Best before date: 18.09 to 25.09 AI
EAN barcode: 5701205006938
Sold in:
Shops across the country
Company recalling:
Lantmännen Schulstad A / S
Cause:
The company has had errors in production and found mold on several of its own reference samples. 
Risk:
Risk of mildew makes the products unsuitable as food.

Advice for consumers:
The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration advises consumers to deliver the products back to the store where they were purchased or to discard them.

 

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Posted in DVFA, food contamination, Food Hygiene, Food Inspections, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Testing, food recall, Food Safety, Food Safety Alert, Food Spoilage, Food Temperature Abuse, Food Testing, microbial contamination, Microbiology, mold, Mould Toxin, Moulds, Mycotoxin