Search results for "Food Contamination"
showing 10 items of 280 documents
Exposure to mercury among 9-year-old Spanish children: Associated factors and trend throughout childhood
2019
Mercury is considered a neurotoxicant and human exposure occurs mainly from the consumption of marine species. We aimed to describe total mercury concentrations (THg) and associated factors in 9-year old children, as well as to explore the trend in THg from 4 to 9 years of age. The study population consisted of 9-year-old children participating in the INMA (Environment and Childhood) birth cohort study in Valencia, Spain (n = 405, 2013–2014). THg in hair samples was measured by atomic absorption spectrometry at the age of 4 and 9 years. Sociodemographic and dietary data was obtained through questionnaires. Multiple linear regression was used to explore the association between THg and covari…
Potential risk evaluation for unintended entry of genetically modified plant Propagating material in Europe through import of seeds and animal feed –…
2019
Significant attention has been drawn to the adventitious and technically unavoidable presence of genetically modified (GM) organisms in the food and feed imported into the European Union (EU), while the potential presence of GM seeds in material for cultivation is less studied. Here we report a study from an EU member state, Latvia, during years 2017–2018 regarding monitoring for the presence of GM seeds in certified seed and animal feed material. Eighty-two and 28 samples of seeds intended for cultivation were analyzed in 2017 and 2018, respectively. One soybean sample contained MON40-3-2 soybean seeds (0.09 ± 0.01%) and one maize sample contained MON810 maize seeds (0.08 ± 0.01%). In addi…
Application of hydrolases and probiotic Pediococcus acidilactici BaltBio01 strain for cereal by-products conversion to bioproduct for food/feed
2017
The aim of this study was to apply the enzymatic treatment and fermentation by Pediococcus acidilactici BaltBio01 strain for industrial cereal by-products conversion to food/feed bioproducts with high amount of probiotic lactic acid bacteria (LAB). LAB propagated in potato media and spray-dried remained viable during 12months (7.0 log10 cfu/g) of storage and was used as a starter for cereal by-products fermentation. The changes of microbial profile, biogenic amines (BAs), mycotoxins, lactic acid (Lþ/D), lignans and alkylresorcinols (ARs) contents in fermented cereal by-product were analysed. Cereal by-products enzymatic hydrolysis before fermentation allows to obtain a higher count of LAB d…
Contamination of fresh and dried tomato by Alternaria toxins in southern Italy.
2019
In the present investigation, fresh and dried tomato samples from markets and packinghouses located in Apulia region (southern Italy) were analysed for Alternaria toxins. All samples proved to be contaminated by tenuazonic acid (TeA); in particular, dried tomatoes were contaminated in the range 425-81,592 µg/kg, while fresh tomatoes were in the range 11-4560 µg/kg. The second most abundant toxin was alternariol monomethyl ether (AME), followed by tentoxin (TEN) and alternariol (AOH). Overall dried tomatoes were more contaminated than fresh ones, although this seemed not directly related to the presence of sodium chloride, utilized in the drying process. Five representative Alternaria isolat…
Potential of nisin-incorporated sodium caseinate films to control Listeria in artificially contaminated cheese
2010
International audience; A sodium caseinate film containing nisin (1000 IU/cm(2)) was produced and used to control Listeria innocua in an artificially contaminated cheese. Mini red Babybel cheese was chosen as a model semi-soft cheese. L. innocua was both surface- and in-depth inoculated to investigate the effectiveness of the antimicrobial film as a function of the distance from the surface in contact with the film. The presence of the active film resulted in a 1.1 log CFU/g reduction in L. innocua counts in surface-inoculated cheese samples after one week of storage at 4 degrees C as compared to control samples. With regard to in-depth inoculated cheese samples, antimicrobial efficiency wa…
Starter cultures as biocontrol strategy to prevent Brettanomyces bruxellensis proliferation in wine
2017
Brettanomyces bruxellensis is a common and significant wine spoilage microorganism. B. bruxellensis strains generally detain the molecular basis to produce compounds that are detrimental for the organoleptic quality of the wine, including some classes of volatile phenols that derive from the sequential bioconversion of specific hydroxycinnamic acids such as ferulate and p-coumarate. Although B. bruxellensis can be detected at any stage of the winemaking process, it is typically isolated at the end of the alcoholic fermentation (AF), before the staring of the spontaneous malolactic fermentation (MLF) or during barrel aging. For this reason, the endemic diffusion of B. bruxellensis leads to c…
Concentrations of urinary arsenic species in relation to rice and seafood consumption among children living in Spain.
2017
Inorganic arsenic (i-As) has been related to wide-ranging health effects in children, leading to lifelong concerns. Proportionally, dietary i-As exposure dominates in regions with low arsenic drinking water. This study aims to investigate the relation between rice and seafood consumption and urinary arsenic species during childhood and to assess the proportion of urinary i-As metabolites. Urinary arsenic species concentration in 400 4-year-old children living in four geographical areas of Spain, in addition to repeated measures from 100 children at 7 years of age are included in this study. Rice and seafood products intake was collected from children's parents using a validated food frequen…
Toxicity reduction of ochratoxin A by lactic acid bacteria.
2017
Abstract Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin produced by the metabolism of fungus belonging to the genus Aspergillus and Penicillium. In this paper we report, the capacity of different cultures of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to degrade OTA present in MRS broth at both pH 3.5 and 6.5. A study of OTA reduction during gastrointestinal digestion carried out with the LAB was also performed. Taking into account the two reduction mechanisms of OTA studied in this work as the enzymatic one and the adsorption on the cell wall, as well as at pH 3.5 and 6.5 the reduction values of OTA were in a range of 30–99%, being the strains with greater reduction (97% and 95%) Lb. rhamnosus CECT 278T and Lb. plantar…
Evaluation of Alternaria mycotoxins in strawberries: quantification and storage condition
2016
Alternariol (AOH), alternariol methyl ether (AME) and tentoxin (TEN) are Alternaria mycotoxins produced by the most common post-harvest pathogens of fruits. The production of these metabolites depends on several environmental factors, mainly temperature, water activity, pH and the technological treatments that have been applied to the product. In this study, the occurrence of AOH, AME and TEN was evaluated in strawberries samples stored at different temperatures ranges (at 22 ± 2 or 6 ± 2°C) and different periods (up to 1 month) simulating the current practice of consumer's storage conditions. Sample extraction was performed using a liquid-liquid extraction method prior to LC-MS/MS analysis…
Enteric bacteria of food ice and their survival in alcoholic beverages and soft drinks
2017
This study aimed to evaluate the levels of enteric bacteria in ice cubes produced in different environments (home-made, prepared in bars and pubs with ice machines and produced in industrial plants) and to determine their survival in different alcoholic beverages and soft drinks. Members of the Enterobacteriaceae family were found in almost all samples analysed. All industrial and the majority of home-made samples did not contain coliforms. Enterococci were not identified in domestic samples while they were detected in two industrial and three bar/pub samples. The samples collected from bars and pubs were characterized by the highest levels of enteric bacteria. Fourteen strains representing…