Search results for "Food Contamination"
showing 10 items of 280 documents
Development of a real-time PCR assay for detection and quantification of enterotoxigenic members of Bacillus cereus group in food samples
2009
A highly sensitive real-time PCR (qPCR) procedure, targeting the phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C gene (pc-plc), was developed for specific detection and quantification of strains belonging to Bacillus cereus group. The target region was selected based on the enterotoxigenic profiles of 75 Bacillus strains. The inclusivity and exclusivity of the RTi-PCR assay were assessed with 59 isolates of the B. cereus group, 16 other Bacillus spp., and 4 non-Bacillus strains. The assay was also used to construct calibration curves for different food matrices, and it had a wide quantification range of 6 log units using both serial dilutions of purified DNA and calibrated cell suspensions of …
Climate Change and Effects on Molds and Mycotoxins
2022
Earth’s climate is undergoing adverse global changes as an unequivocal result of anthropogenic activity. The occurring environmental changes are slowly shaping the balance between plant growth and related fungal diseases. Climate (temperature, available water, and light quality/quantity; as well as extreme drought, desertification, and fluctuations of humid/dry cycles) represents the most important agroecosystem factor influencing the life cycle stages of fungi and their ability to colonize crops, survive, and produce toxins. The ability of mycotoxigenic fungi to respond to Climate Change (CC) may induce a shift in their geographical distribution and in the pattern of mycotoxin occurrence. …
Campylobacter spp. contamination of chicken carcasses during processing in relation to flock colonisation.
2005
The presence and numbers of campylobacters on chicken carcasses from 26 slaughter groups, originating from 22 single-house flocks and processed in four UK plants, were studied in relation to the level of flock colonisation determined by examining the caecal contents of at least ten birds per group. The prevalence of campylobacters on carcasses from five campylobacter-negative flocks processed just after other negative flocks was low (/=30%). Campylobacters were isolated from 90 to 100% of carcasses from three flocks which were partly colonised, with 5, 5 and 30% of caecal contents positive, and which were processed after fully colonised flocks. All carcasses from the remaining fully colonis…
Occurrence of fumonisins B1 and B2 in broa, typical Portuguese maize bread
2007
Fumonisin B1 (FB1) and fumonisin B2 (FB2) are mycotoxins mainly produced by Fusarium verticillioides, and Fusarium proliferatum, fungi species most commonly isolated from maize. The natural occurrence of FB1 and FB2 in broa, typical Portuguese maize bread, was evaluated in 30 samples. Twenty five were found positive with levels ranging from 142 to 550 [mu]g kg- 1. The limit established by the European regulations was exceeded by 27% of the samples. The tolerable daily intake for fumonisin B1, and B2, alone or in combination, for all of the analysed samples, was lower than 2 [mu]g kg- 1 body weight per day established by the European Commission. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B…
Occurrence, mitigation and in vitro cytotoxicity of nivalenol, a type B trichothecene mycotoxin - Updates from the last decade (2010-2020).
2021
Abstract The present review aims to give an overview of the literature of the last decade (2010–2020) concerning the occurrence of the type B trichothecene mycotoxin nivalenol (NIV) and its in vitro toxicity, with the purpose of updating information regarding last researches on this mycotoxin. The most recent studies on the possible methods for preventing Fusarium spp. growth and NIV production are also discussed. Recently, various environmental factors have been shown to influence strongly NIV occurrence. However, Fusarium spp. of the NIV genotype have been found almost worldwide. With regard to NIV cytotoxicity, NIV has been reported to cause a marked decrease in cell proliferation in dif…
Congener profile, occurrence and estimated dietary intake of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs in foods marketed in the Region of Valencia (Spain).
2011
During 2006-2008, a monitoring program was conducted on 29 target compounds, including PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs, comprising 150 randomly collected individual food samples marketed in the Region of Valencia, Spain, grouped into 8 categories (vegetables, cereals, fats and oils, eggs, milk and dairy products, fish products, meat and meat products and fish oil). For PCDD/Fs, the highest frequency of detection corresponds to 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDD, OCDD, 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF; and PCBs 118, 105 and 156 were the more frequent dl-PCBs. The food groups presenting higher contamination, expressed as toxic equivalents (WHO-TEQs), were fish oil (6.38 pg WHO-TEQ g(-1)fat), fish (1.21 pg WHO-TEQ g(-1)w.w.) and milk an…
Oral intake of cadmium, cobalt, copper, iron, lead, nickel, manganese and zinc in the university student's diet.
1993
A duplicate diet meal study was carried out with a group of university students living in a hostel, in order to estimate the intake of Zn, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni and Pb. Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn and Ni were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry and Cd, Co and Pb by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry after a nitric acid wet digestion procedure. The estimated intake values from the contents of breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks were compared with the values of the Provisional Tolerable Daily Intake (PTDI) in the case of Cd and Pb, Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) of Co, Fe and Zn and Estimated Safe and Adequate Dietetic Daily Intake (ESADDI) of Cu and Mn. Neithe…
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…
Target analysis and retrospective screening of veterinary drugs, ergot alkaloids, plant toxins and other undesirable substances in feed using liquid …
2015
A comprehensive strategy combining a quantitative method for 77 banned veterinary drugs, mycotoxins, ergot alkaloids and plant toxins, and a post-target screening for 425 substances including pesticides and environmental contaminants in feed were developed using a QuEChERS-based extraction and an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). The quantitative method was validated after previous statistical optimisation of the main parameters governing ionisation, and presented recoveries ranging, in general, from 80 to 120%, with a precision in terms of Relative Standard Deviation (RSD) lower than 20%. The full-scan accurate mass data…
Bioaccessibility and decomposition of cylindrospermopsin in vegetables matrices after the application of an in vitro digestion model.
2018
Research on the human exposure to Cylindrospermopsin (CYN) via consumption of contaminated food is of great interest for risk assessment purposes. The aim of this work is to evaluate for the first time the CYN bioaccessibility in contaminated vegetables (uncooked lettuce and spinach, and boiled spinach) after an in vitro digestion model, including the salivar, gastric and duodenal phases and, colonic fermentation under lactic acid bacteria. The results obtained showed that the digestion processes are able to diminish CYN levels, mainly in the colonic phase, especially in combination with the boiling treatment, decreasing CYN levels in a significant way. Moreover, the potential decomposition…