Mycotoxin risks under a climate change scenario in Europe

Mycobiome mediates the interaction between environmental factors and mycotoxin contamination in wheat grains

Environmental factors significantly impact grain mycobiome assembly and mycotoxin contamination. However, there is still a lack of understanding regarding the wheat mycobiome and the role of fungal communities in the interaction between environmental factors and mycotoxins. In this study, we collected wheat grain samples from 12 major wheat-producing provinces in China during both the harvest and storage periods. Our aim was to evaluate the mycobiomes in wheat samples with varying deoxynivalenol (DON) contamination levels and to confirm the correlation between environmental factors, the wheat mycobiome, and mycotoxins. The results revealed significant differences in the wheat mycobiome and co-occurrence network between contaminated and uncontaminated wheat samples. Fusarium was identified as the main differential taxon responsible for inducing DON contamination in wheat. Correlation analysis identified key factors affecting mycotoxin contamination. The results indicate that both environmental factors and the wheat mycobiome play significant roles in the production and accumulation of DON. Environmental factors can affect the wheat mycobiome assembly, and wheat mycobiome mediates the interaction between environmental factors and mycotoxin contamination. Furthermore, a random forest (RF) model was developed using key biological indicators and environmental features to predict DON contamination in wheat with accuracies exceeding 90 %. The findings provide data support for the accurate prediction of mycotoxin contamination and lay the foundation for the research on biological control technologies of mycotoxin through the assembly of synthetic microbial communities.

Studies of Mycotoxins in Medicinal Plants Conducted Worldwide over the Last Decade: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Exposure Risk Assessment

BACKGROUND

Mycotoxins have been reported to be present in medicinal plants. With the growing usage of medicinal plants, contamination of mycotoxins has emerged as one of the biggest threats to global food hygiene and ecological environment, posing a severe threat to human health.

PURPOSE

This study aimed to determine the mycotoxin prevalence and levels in medicinal plants and conduct a risk assessment by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis.

METHODS

A thorough search on Web of Science and PubMed was conducted for the last decade, resulting in 54 studies (meeting the inclusion criteria) with 2829 data items that were included in the meta-analysis.

RESULTS

The combined prevalence of mycotoxins in medicinal plants was 1.7% (95% confidence interval, CI = 1.1% - 2.4%), with a mean mycotoxin concentration in medicinal plants of 3.551 µg/kg (95% CI = 3.461 - 3.641 µg/kg). Risk assessment results indicated that aflatoxins and ochratoxin A found in several medicinal plants posed a health risk to humans; additionally, emerging enniatins exhibited possible health risks.

CONCLUSION

Therefore, the study underlines the need for establishing stringent control measures to reduce the severity of mycotoxin contamination in medicinal plants.

Aflatoxins in maize and groundnuts on markets in Accra and consumers risk

This study presents the results of aflatoxin contamination of maize and groundnuts in major markets in Accra and assesses the population's exposure to aflatoxins. Raw maize and groundnuts from 6 major markets in Accra were sampled and analysed for their aflatoxin content. A total of 92 samples comprising 48 maize and 44 groundnuts were analysed using high-performance liquid chromatography, after extraction with methanol/water and cleanup on an immunoaffinity column. Total aflatoxins were quantified in 98% of the maize samples and 70% of the groundnut samples, with concentrations ranging from 0.60 to 1065 µg/kg and 0.20 to 627 µg/kg, respectively. Exposure assessment showed an estimated daily intake of 0.436 μg/kg bw/day and 0.0632 μg/kg bw/day for maize and groundnut consumption, respectively, suggesting significant health risks for consumers. The high prevalence and concentrations of aflatoxins call for an urgent need for measures to control exposure of the Ghanaian population.

Influence of regional and yearly weather patterns on multi-mycotoxin occurrence in Austrian wheat: a liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometric and multivariate statistics approach

BACKGROUND

Mycotoxin surveys play an essential role in our food safety system. The obtained occurrence data form the basis for the assessment of the exposure of humans and animals to these toxic fungal secondary metabolites. Liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) has become the gold standard for mycotoxin determination because it enables selective and sensitive multi-toxin analysis. Simultaneous determination of several hundreds of secondary fungal metabolites is feasible using this technique. In this study, we combined a targeted dilute-and-shoot LC-MS/MS-based multi-analyte approach with multivariate statistics for the analysis of Austrian wheat from two different years and different geographical origins.

RESULTS

We quantified 47 secondary fungal metabolites, including regulated emerging and masked mycotoxins. The resulting multi-mycotoxin occurrence data were further analyzed using both multivariate and univariate statistics. Principal component analysis (PCA) and analysis of variance (ANOVA) simultaneous component analysis (ASCA) were employed to identify regional and yearly trends within the dataset and to quantify the variance in metabolite occurrence attributed to the different effects. In addition, secondary fungal metabolites significantly impacted by these factors were selected via ANOVA. Of the 47 secondary metabolites identified, 39 were affected by the year, region or a combined effect. Moreover, our findings show that 43 of the secondary fungal metabolites were significantly influenced by the weather conditions.

CONCLUSION

The results presented in this study underline the added value of combining targeted LC-MS/MS with multivariate statistics for monitoring a broad spectrum of secondary fungal metabolites in food crops. Through multivariate statistics, trends associated with the year or region can be readily studied. The approach presented could pave the way for a better understanding of the impact of climate change on plant pathogenic fungi and its implications for food safety. © 2024 The Author(s). Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Development of a corn flour certified reference material for the accurate determination of zearalenone

A certified reference material (CRM, KRISS 108-01-002) for zearalenone in corn flour was developed to assure reliable and accurate measurements in testing laboratories. Commercially available corn flour underwent freeze-drying, pulverization, sieving, and homogenization. The final product was packed in amber bottles, approximately 14 g per unit, and preserved at -70 °C. 13C18-Zearalenone was used as an internal standard (IS) for the certification of zearalenone by isotope-dilution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (ID-LC‒MS/MS) and for the analysis of α-zearalenol, β-zearalenol, and zearalanone by LC‒MS/MS. The prepared CRM was sufficiently homogeneous, as the among-unit relative standard deviation for each mycotoxin ranged from 2.2 to 5.7 %. Additionally, the stability of the mycotoxins in the CRM was evaluated under different temperature conditions and scheduled test periods, including storage at -70°C, -20°C, and 4°C and room temperature for up to 12 months, 6 months, and 1 month, respectively. The content of each target mycotoxin in the CRM remained stable throughout the monitoring period at each temperature. Zearalenone content (153.6 ± 8.0 µg/kg) was assigned as the certified value. Meanwhile, the contents of α-zearalenol (1.30 ± 0.17 µg/kg), β-zearalenol (4.75 ± 0.33 µg/kg), and zearalanone (2.09 ± 0.16 µg/kg) were provided as informative values.

Structure of Aspergillus flavus populations associated with maize in Greece, Spain, and Serbia: Implications for aflatoxin biocontrol on a regional scale

Aspergillus flavus is the most frequently identified producer of aflatoxins. Non-aflatoxigenic members of the A. flavus L strains are used in various continents as active ingredients of bioprotectants directed at preventing aflatoxin contamination by competitive displacement of aflatoxin producers. The current research examined the genetic diversity of A. flavus L strain across southern Europe to gain insights into the population structure and evolution of this species and to evaluate the prevalence of genotypes closely related to MUCL54911, the active ingredient of AF-X1. A total of 2173L strain isolates recovered from maize collected across Greece, Spain, and Serbia in 2020 and 2021 were subjected to simple sequence repeat (SSR) genotyping. The analysis revealed high diversity within and among countries and dozens of haplotypes shared. Linkage disequilibrium analysis indicated asexual reproduction and clonal evolution of A. flavus L strain resident in Europe. Moreover, haplotypes closely related to MUCL54911 were found to belong to the same vegetative compatibility group (VCG) IT006 and were relatively common in all three countries. The results indicate that IT006 is endemic to southern Europe and may be utilized as an aflatoxin mitigation tool for maize across the region without concern for potential adverse impacts associated with the introduction of an exotic microorganism.

Mechanistic insight into human androgen receptor-mediated endocrine disrupting potential of cyclic depsipeptide mycotoxin, beauvericin, and influencing environmental factors for its biosynthesis in Fusarium oxysporum KFCC 11363P on rice cereal

In current study, Fusarium mycotoxin, beauvericin (BEA), has endocrine disrupting potential through suppressing the exogenous androgen receptor (AR)-mediated transcriptional activation. BEA was classified as an AR antagonist, with IC30 and IC50 values indicating that it suppressed AR dimerization in the cytosol. BEA suppress the translocation of cytosolic activated ARs to the nucleus via exogenous androgens. Furthermore, we investigated the impact of environmental conditions for BEA production on rice cereal using response surface methodology. The environmental factors affecting the production of BEA, namely temperature, initial moisture content, and growth time were optimized at 20.28 °C, 42.79 % (w/w), and 17.31 days, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report showing that BEA has endocrine disrupting potential through suppressing translocation of cytosolic ARs to nucleus, and temperature, initial moisture content, and growth time are important influencing environmental factors for its biosynthesis in Fusarium strains on cereal.

The impact of fullerenol nanoparticles on the growth of toxigenic Aspergillus flavus and aflatoxins production in vitro and in corn flour

Antifungal and antimycotoxigenic activity of fullerenol nanoparticles (FNPs) were investigated on Aspergillus flavus growth isolated from a real food sample and aflatoxins (AFs) (AFB1 and AFB2 ) production. The final FNPs concentrations in in vitro and in commercial corn flour after the stationary incubation period of 7 and 14 days were in the range 0.16-80 µg/mL and 0.16-80 µg/g, respectively. Nanocharacterization of FNPs revealed an average size of 5-20 nm and a zeta potential of -35 mV. The highest degree of A. flavus mycelium growth inhibition (28%) after 7 days was observed for applied FNP concentration of 8.0 µg/mL, while after 14 days FNP concentration of 0.32 µg/mL led to the maximal inhibition of A. flavus mycelium growth (36%). Spearman's correlations analysis revealed a strong positive correlation between AFB1 and AFB2 concentrations in YES broth after 7 (R = 0.994, p < 0.05) and 14 days (R = 0.976), as well as between AFs concentrations and A. flavus mycelium mass after 7 (R = 0.786 for AFB1 and R = 0.766 for AFB2 ) and 14 days (R = 0.810 for AFB1 and R = 0.833 for AFB2 ). Paired samples t-test showed the existence of a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) between the produced AFs concentrations after the incubation of 7 and 14 days. Regarding the artificially inoculated corn flour the lower applied FNP concentrations (0.16-0.8 µg/g) achieved a reduction of AFB1 up to 42% and 60% after 7 and 14 days, respectively.

Changing climate, shifting mycotoxins: A comprehensive review of climate change impact on mycotoxin contamination

Climate change (CC) is a complex phenomenon that has the potential to significantly alter marine, terrestrial, and freshwater ecosystems worldwide. Global warming of 2°C is expected to be exceeded during the 21st century, and the frequency of extreme weather events, including floods, storms, droughts, extreme temperatures, and wildfires, has intensified globally over recent decades, differently affecting areas of the world. How CC may impact multiple food safety hazards is increasingly evident, with mycotoxin contamination in particular gaining in prominence. Research focusing on CC effects on mycotoxin contamination in edible crops has developed considerably throughout the years. Therefore, we conducted a comprehensive literature search to collect available studies in the scientific literature published between 2000 and 2023. The selected papers highlighted how warmer temperatures are enabling the migration, introduction, and mounting abundance of thermophilic and thermotolerant fungal species, including those producing mycotoxins. Certain mycotoxigenic fungal species, such as Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium graminearum, are expected to readily acclimatize to new conditions and could become more aggressive pathogens. Furthermore, abiotic stress factors resulting from CC are expected to weaken the resistance of host crops, rendering them more vulnerable to fungal disease outbreaks. Changed interactions of mycotoxigenic fungi are likewise expected, with the effect of influencing the prevalence and co-occurrence of mycotoxins in the future. Looking ahead, future research should focus on improving predictive modeling, expanding research into different pathosystems, and facilitating the application of effective strategies to mitigate the impact of CC.

Mycotoxins evaluation of total mixed ration (TMR) in bovine dairy farms: An update

The total mixed ration (TMR) is currently a widespread method to feed dairy cows. It is a mixture of raw fodder and concentrate feed that can be contaminated by several mycotoxins. The main aim of this paper was to provide a critical review on TMR mycotoxin occurrence and its usefulness to monitor and control them on-farm. Aflatoxins, zearalenone, deoxynivalenol, T-2 toxin and fumonisins (regulated mycotoxins) are the most prevalent mycotoxins evaluated in TMR. Nonetheless, several emerging mycotoxins represent a health risk at the animal level regarding their prevalence and level in TMR. Even when measured at low levels, the co-occurrence of mycotoxins is frequent and synergistic effects on animal health are still underevaluated. Similar to the animal feed industry, on-farm plans monitoring mycotoxin feed contamination can be developed as a herd health management program. The estimated daily intake of mycotoxins should be implemented, but thresholds for each mycotoxin are not currently defined in dairy farms.

Mycotoxin occurrence in kernels and straws of wheat, barley, and tritordeum

Thirty-two varieties of common and durum wheat, hordeum, barley, and tritordeum collected over two harvesting years (2020 and 2021) were investigated for the presence of multiple Fusarium-related mycotoxins in asymptomatic plants. DON, 3-AcDON, 15-AcDON, T-2, HT-2, and ZEN together with the emerging mycotoxin ENN B and the major modified form of DON, namely DON3Glc, were quantified by means of UHPLC-MS/MS. Overall, DON and ENN B were the most frequently detected mycotoxins, albeit large inter-year variability was observed and related to different climate and weather conditions. Straws had higher mycotoxin contents than kernels and regarding DON occurrence tritordeum was found to be the most contaminated group on average for both harvesting years, while barley was the less contaminated one. Emerging mycotoxin ENN B showed comparable contents in kernels compared to straw, with a ratio close to 1 for tritordeum and barley. Regarding the occurrence of the other evaluated mycotoxins, T-2 and HT-2 toxins have been spotted in a few tritordeum samples, while ZEN has been frequently found only in straw from the harvesting year 2020. The data collected confirms the occurrence of multiple Fusarium mycotoxins in straws also from asymptomatic plants, highlighting concerns related to feed safety and animal health. The susceptibility of Tritordeum, hereby reported for the first time, suggests that careful measures in terms of monitoring, breeding, and cultural choices should be applied when dealing with his emerging crop.

DypB peroxidase for aflatoxin removal: New insights into the toxin degradation process

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is one of the most potent carcinogens and a widespread food and feed contaminant. As for other toxins, many efforts are devoted to find efficient and environmentally-friendly methods to degrade AFB1, such as enzymatic treatments, thus improving the safety of food and feed products. In this regard, the dye decolorizing peroxidase of type B (DypB) can efficiently degrade AFB1. The molecular mechanism, which is required to drive protein optimization in view of the usage of DypB as a mycotoxin reduction agent in large scale application, is unknown. Here, we focused on the role of four DypB residues in the degradation of AFB1 by alanine-scanning (residues 156, 215, 239 and 246), which were identified from biochemical assays to be kinetically relevant for the degradation. As a result of DypB degradation, AFB1 is converted into four products. Interestingly, the relative abundancy of these products depends on the replaced residues. Molecular dynamics simulations were used to investigate the role of these residues in the binding step between protein and manganese, a metal ion which is expected to be involved in the degradation process. We found that the size of the haem pocket as well as conformational changes in the protein structure could play a role in determining the kinetics of AFB1 removal and, consequently, guide the process towards specific degradation products.

Impacts of abiotic factors on the growth of three commercial biological control agents, on the growth and mycotoxinogenesis of Fusarium graminearum and on their interaction

BACKGROUND

Evolving climatic conditions impact the behavior of microorganisms. The lack of efficiency of beneficial microorganisms against pathogens can be due to these evolving abiotic factors more favorable to the development and adaptation of pathogens. It is therefore of great interest to understand their impact (especially temperature increase and relative humidity (RH) variation) on pathogenic and non-pathogenic microorganisms. This work aimed to examine the possible effects of increasing temperature (20, 25, 30 and 33 °C) and RH (40%, 50%, 60% and 80%) on the growth and mycotoxin production (deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEN)) of Fusarium graminearum, on the growth of three commercial biocontrol agents (BCAs; Mycostop®, Xedavir® and Polyversum®) and on the pathogen-BCA interaction.

RESULTS

Results demonstrated that BCAs have contrasting impacts on the growth and mycotoxinogenesis of F. graminearum depending on abiotic factors. At 25 °C and regardless of RH, commercial BCAs limit DON production by F. graminearum, but at 30 °C and intermediate RH, Xedavir® is no longer effective. The ability of Xedavir® to control the production of ZEN production by F. graminearum is also affected by abiotic factors. However, increasing temperature has an opposite effect on its ability to control the accumulation of ZEN. Polyversum® oomycete is the BCA with the most resilient efficacy against F. graminearum toxinogenesis under the different abiotic factors.

CONCLUSION

This work provides new knowledge of the effect of these abiotic parameters on the interaction between BCA and F. graminearum, especially on the production of mycotoxins. It paves the way for the development of efficient and resilient mycotoxin biocontrol strategies using beneficial microorganisms against F. graminearum, thus contributing to global food security. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

What Is Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) Resistance and What Are Its Food Safety Risks in Wheat? Problems and Solutions-A Review

The term "Fusarium Head Blight" (FHB) resistance supposedly covers common resistances to different Fusarium spp. without any generally accepted evidence. For food safety, all should be considered with their toxins, except for deoxynivalenol (DON). Disease index (DI), scabby kernels (FDK), and DON steadily result from FHB, and even the genetic regulation of Fusarium spp. may differ; therefore, multitoxin contamination is common. The resistance types of FHB form a rather complex syndrome that has been the subject of debate for decades. It seems that resistance types are not independent variables but rather a series of components that follow disease and epidemic development; their genetic regulation may differ. Spraying inoculation (Type 1 resistance) includes the phase where spores land on palea and lemma and spread to the ovarium and also includes the spread-inhibiting resistance factor; therefore, it provides the overall resistance that is needed. A significant part of Type 1-resistant QTLs could, therefore, be Type 2, requiring the retesting of the QTLs; this is, at least, the case for the most effective ones. The updated resistance components are as follows: Component 1 is overall resistance, as discussed above; Component 2 includes spreading from the ovarium through the head, which is a part of Component 1; Component 3 includes factors from grain development to ripening (FDK); Component 4 includes factors influencing DON contamination, decrease, overproduction, and relative toxin resistance; and for Component 5, the tolerance has a low significance without new results. Independent QTLs with different functions can be identified for one or more traits. Resistance to different Fusarium spp. seems to be connected; it is species non-specific, but further research is necessary. Their toxin relations are unknown. DI, FDK, and DON should be checked as they serve as the basic data for the risk analysis of cultivars. A better understanding of the multitoxin risk is needed regarding resistance to the main Fusarium spp.; therefore, an updated testing methodology is suggested. This will provide more precise data for research, genetics, and variety registration. In winter and spring wheat, the existing resistance level is very high, close to Sumai 3, and provides much greater food safety combined with sophisticated fungicide preventive control and other practices in commercial production.

Aflatoxin Decontamination in Maize Steep Liquor Obtained from Bioethanol Production Using Laccases from Species within the Basidiomycota Phylum

Maize (Zea mays L.) is an important crop in Argentina. Aspergillus section Flavi can infect this crop at the pre-harvest stage, and the harvested grains can be contaminated with aflatoxins (AFs). During the production of bioethanol from maize, AF levels can increase up to three times in the final co-products, known as, dry and wet distiller's grain with solubles (DDGS and WDGS), intended for animal feed. Fungal enzymes like laccases can be a useful tool for reducing AF contamination in the co-products obtained from this process. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the ability of laccase enzymes included in enzymatic extracts (EE) produced by different species in the Basidiomycota phylum to reduce AF (AFB1 and AFB2) accumulation under the conditions of in vitro assays. Four laccase activities (5, 10, 15, and 20 U/mL) exerted by nine isolates were evaluated in the absence and presence of vanillic acid (VA), serving as a laccase redox mediator for the degradation of total AFs. The enzymatic stability in maize steep liquor (MSL) was confirmed after a 60 h incubation period. The most effective EE in terms of reducing AF content in the buffer was selected for an additional assay carried out under the same conditions using maize steep liquor obtained after the saccharification stage during the bioethanol production process. The highest degradation percentages were observed at 20 U/mL of laccase enzymatic activity and 1 mM of VA, corresponding to 26% for AFB1 and 26.6% for AFB2. The present study provides valuable data for the development of an efficient tool based on fungal laccases for preventing AF accumulation in the co-products of bioethanol produced from maize used for animal feed.

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

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.

Interconnectable 3D-printed sample processing modules for portable mycotoxin screening of intact wheat

BACKGROUND

The increasing demand for food and feed products is stretching the capacity of the food value chain to its limits. A key step for ensuring food safety is checking for mycotoxin contamination of wheat. However, this analysis is typically performed by rather complex and expensive chromatographic methods, such as liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). These costly methods require extensive sample preparation that is not easily carried out at different points along the food supply chain. To overcome such challenges in sample processing, an inexpensive and portable sample preparation device was needed, that required low skill, for rapid sample-to-result mycotoxin screening.

RESULTS

We describe 3D-printed and interconnectable modules for simple, integrated and on-site sample preparation, including grinding of wheat kernels, and solvent-based extraction. We characterized these 3D-printed modules for mycotoxin screening and benchmarked them against a laboratory mill using commercial lateral flow device(s) (LFD) and in-house validated LC-MS/MS analysis. Different integrated sieve configurations were compared based on grinding efficiency, and we selected a sieve size of 2 mm allowing grinding of 10 g of wheat within 5 min. Moreover, 10 first time-users were able to operate the grinder module with minimal instructions. Screening for deoxynivalenol (DON) in naturally contaminated samples at the regulatory/legal limit (1.25 mg kg-1) was demonstrated using the developed 3D-printed prototype. The whole process only takes 15 min, from sample preparation to screening result. The results showed a clear correlation (R2 = 0.96) between the LFD and LC-MS/MS.

SIGNIFICANCE

Our findings demonstrate the potential of 3D-printed sample handling equipment as a valuable extension of existing analytical procedures, facilitating the on-site implementation of rapid methods for the determination of mycotoxins in grains. The presented prototype is inexpensive with material costs of 2.5€, relies on biodegradable 3D printing filament and can be produced with consumer-grade printers, making the prototype readily available. As a future perspective, the modular character of our developed tool kit will allow for adaptation to other hard food commodities beyond the determination of DON in wheat.

Microbial diversity in soils suppressive to Fusarium diseases

Fusarium species are cosmopolitan soil phytopathogens from the division Ascomycota, which produce mycotoxins and cause significant economic losses of crop plants. However, soils suppressive to Fusarium diseases are known to occur, and recent knowledge on microbial diversity in these soils has shed new lights on phytoprotection effects. In this review, we synthesize current knowledge on soils suppressive to Fusarium diseases and the role of their rhizosphere microbiota in phytoprotection. This is an important issue, as disease does not develop significantly in suppressive soils even though pathogenic Fusarium and susceptible host plant are present, and weather conditions are suitable for disease. Soils suppressive to Fusarium diseases are documented in different regions of the world. They contain biocontrol microorganisms, which act by inducing plants' resistance to the pathogen, competing with or inhibiting the pathogen, or parasitizing the pathogen. In particular, some of the Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Paenibacillus and Streptomyces species are involved in plant protection from Fusarium diseases. Besides specific bacterial populations involved in disease suppression, next-generation sequencing and ecological networks have largely contributed to the understanding of microbial communities in soils suppressive or not to Fusarium diseases, revealing different microbial community patterns and differences for a notable number of taxa, according to the Fusarium pathosystem, the host plant and the origin of the soil. Agricultural practices can significantly influence soil suppressiveness to Fusarium diseases by influencing soil microbiota ecology. Research on microbial modes of action and diversity in suppressive soils should help guide the development of effective farming practices for Fusarium disease management in sustainable agriculture.

[Climate Crisis: What Gastrointestinal Complications of this Medical Emergency Should We Be Aware Of?]

INTRODUCTION

The climate crisis has serious consequences for many areas of life. This applies in particular to human health - also in Europe. While cardiovascular, pneumological and dermatological diseases related to the climate crisis are often discussed, the crisis' significant gastroenterological consequences for health must also be considered.

METHODS

A literature search (Pubmed, Cochrane Library) was used to identify papers with relevance particularly to the field of gastroenterology in (Central) Europe. Findings were supplemented and discussed by an interdisciplinary team.

RESULTS

The climate crisis impacts the frequency and severity of gastrointestinal diseases in Europe due to more frequent and severe heat waves, flooding and air pollution. While patients with intestinal diseases are particularly vulnerable to acute weather events, the main long-term consequences of climate change are gastrointestinal cancer and liver disease. In addition to gastroenteritis, other infectious diseases such as vector-borne diseases and parasites are important in the context of global warming, heat waves and floods.

DISCUSSION

Adaptation strategies must be consistently developed and implemented for vulnerable groups. Patients at risk should be informed about measures that can be implemented individually, such as avoiding heat, ensuring appropriate hydration and following hygiene instructions. Recommendations for physical activity and a healthy and sustainable diet are essential for the prevention of liver diseases and carcinomas. Measures for prevention and the promotion of resilience can be supported by the physicians at various levels. In addition to efforts fostering sustainability in the immediate working environment, a system-oriented commitment to climate protection is important.

Unraveling biomarkers of exposure for tenuazonic acid through urinary metabolomics

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by fungi such as Aspergillus, Alternaria, and Penicillium, affecting nearly 80% of global food crops. Tenuazonic acid (TeA) is the major mycotoxin produced by Alternaria alternata, a prevalent pathogen affecting plants, fruits, and vegetables. TeA is notably prevalent in European diets, however, TeA biomarkers of exposure and metabolites remain unknown. This research aims to bridge this knowledge-gap by gaining insights about human TeA exposure and metabolization. Nine subjects were divided into two groups. The first group received a single bolus of TeA at the Threshold of Toxicological Concern (TTC) to investigate the presence of TeA urinary biomarkers, while the second group served as a control. Sixty-nine urinary samples were prepared and analyzed using UPLC-Xevo TQ-XS for TeA quantification and UPLC-Orbitrap Exploris for polar metabolome acquisition. TeA was rapidly excreted during the first 13 h and the fraction extracted was 0.39 ± 0.22. The polar metabolome compounds effectively discriminating the two groups were filtered using Orthogonal Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis and subsequently annotated (n = 122) at confidence level 4. Finally, the urinary metabolome was compared to in silico predicted TeA metabolites. Nine metabolites, including oxidized, N-alkylated, desaturated, glucuronidated, and sulfonated forms of TeA were detected.

Recombinant Oxidase from Armillaria tabescens as a Potential Tool for Aflatoxin B1 Degradation in Contaminated Cereal Grain

Forage grain contamination with aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a global problem, so its detoxification with the aim of providing feed safety and cost-efficiency is still a relevant issue. AFB1 degradation by microbial enzymes is considered to be a promising detoxification approach. In this study, we modified an previously developed Pichia pastoris GS115 expression system using a chimeric signal peptide to obtain a new recombinant producer of extracellular AFB1 oxidase (AFO) from Armillaria tabescens (the yield of 0.3 g/L), purified AFO, and selected optimal conditions for AFO-induced AFB1 removal from model solutions. After a 72 h exposure of the AFB1 solution to AFO at pH 6.0 and 30 °C, 80% of the AFB1 was degraded. Treatments with AFO also significantly reduced the AFB1 content in wheat and corn grain inoculated with Aspergillus flavus. In grain samples contaminated with several dozen micrograms of AFB1 per kg, a 48 h exposure to AFO resulted in at least double the reduction in grain contamination compared to the control, while the same treatment of more significantly (~mg/kg) AFB1-polluted samples reduced their contamination by ~40%. These findings prove the potential of the tested AFO for cereal grain decontamination and suggest that additional studies to stabilize AFO and improve its AFB1-degrading efficacy are required.

Research advances in the degradation of aflatoxin by lactic acid bacteria

Aflatoxins are toxic secondary metabolites that often contaminate food and animal feed, causing huge economic losses and serious health hazards. Aflatoxin contamination has become a major concern worldwide. Biological methods have been used to reduce aflatoxins in food and feed by inhibiting toxin production and detoxification. Among biological methods, lactic acid bacteria are of significant interest because of their safety, efficiency, and environmental friendliness. This study aimed to review the mechanisms by which lactic acid bacteria degrade aflatoxins and the factors that influence their degradation efficiency, including the action of the lactic acid bacteria themselves (cell wall adsorption) and the antifungal metabolites produced by the lactic acid bacteria. The current applications of lactic acid bacteria to food and feed were also reviewed. This comprehensive analysis provided insight into the binding mechanisms between lactic acid bacteria and aflatoxins, facilitating the practical applications of lactic acid bacteria to food and agriculture.

Effects of Climate Change on Areas Suitable for Maize Cultivation and Aflatoxin Contamination in Europe

The climate is changing in Europe: average temperatures are increasing, and so is the frequency of extreme weather events. Climate change has a severe impact on areas suitable for growing certain crops and on food safety, for example, affecting the occurrence of the aflatoxin contamination of maize. The aim of this study was to obtain insights into the impact of climate change on possible changes in land use in Europe, particularly in areas suitable for maize cultivation, and on the probability of the mycotoxin contamination of maize in order to give directions for long-term adaptation to climate change. By combining a land use model and a mycotoxin prediction model, the suitability of land for maize cultivation and the probability of aflatoxin contamination were estimated for suitable areas in Europe, comparing the current climate with the 2050 scenario. In 2050, the occurrence of aflatoxin contamination in Europe is predicted to severely increase, especially in Central and Southern Europe. More northern regions, presently unsuitable for maize cultivation, will become suitable for maize cultivation in 2050. In the baseline scenario, most regions suitable for maize cultivation have a low probability of aflatoxin contamination, whereas in 2050, about half of the regions suitable for maize cultivation have a medium to high probability of aflatoxin contamination. Regions for safely growing maize for human consumption will shift from the southern to the northern half of Europe.

Use of Yeast Cell Wall Extract for Growing Pigs Consuming Feed Contaminated with Mycotoxins below or above Regulatory Guidelines: A Meta-Analysis with Meta-Regression

Using a random-effects meta-analysis, the performance of growing pigs under a mycotoxin challenge (MT) with or without supplementation of yeast cell wall extract (YCWE, Mycosorb®, Alltech Inc.) was evaluated. Both MT and YCWE were also compared to animal controls not receiving mycotoxins (CTRL). Meta-regression was used to further explore the impacts of MT at/below (category 1) or above (category 2) global regulatory guidelines. Following the screening, 23 suitable references (30 mycotoxin treatments) were used. Overall, MT lowered average daily gain (ADG, p < 0.001) and average daily feed intake (ADFI, p < 0.0001) from CTRL by -84 and -165 g, respectively. Inclusion of YCWE during mycotoxin challenges (YCWE+MT, average 2.1 kg/ton) tended to result in greater ADG (+17 g, p = 0.068) compared to MT treatments. The gain-to-feed ratio (G:F) was not impacted by MT or YCWE+MT. Further investigation by meta-regression revealed that pigs fed MT in category 1 had lower ADG (-78.5 g, p < 0.001) versus CTRL, while YCWE+MT had higher ADG (+48 g, p < 0.001) over MT and was similar to CTRL. The ADFI was not impacted, although YCWE+MT had ADFI values similar to the CTRL. In category 2, ADG and ADFI of pigs fed MT were lower than CTRL (-85.1 and -166 g, respectively, p < 0.0001), with a tendency for YCWE+MT to result in higher ADFI (+25.3 g, p = 0.062). In summary, the inclusion of YCWE provided benefits to performance during common mycotoxin challenge levels (at or below regulatory guidelines).

Comparative Performance of Rapid Diagnostics for the Detection of T-2 and HT-2 Toxins in Oats

The contamination of oat crops by trichothecene mycotoxins, T-2 and HT-2 is an ongoing threat to our food safety. Within the industry, there are increasing concerns about the continued and growing presence of these mycotoxins occurring in oat crops due to climate change, farming practices and the handling of crops post-harvest. To safeguard human health, monitoring these mycotoxins in foodstuffs is paramount to ensure human exposure is limited. To achieve this, effective testing regimes must be established within the industry, consisting not only of rapid, reliable, and accurate analytical methods but also efficient sampling strategies. Four commercial rapid diagnostic kits were assessed against liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry and included three lateral flow devices and one enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. One-way ANOVA showed a p-value of 0.45 indicating no significant difference between the methods assessed. Qualitative analysis revealed test kits 1, 2, 3, and 4 showed false negative/false positive rates of 1.1/2.2, 7.6/0, 2.2/0, and 6.5/0 percent, respectively. Test Kit 1, the Neogen Reveal® Q+ MAX for T-2/HT-2 Kit provided the most reliable, accurate and cost-effective results. Furthermore, its ease of use and no requirement for technical skill makes it applicable for on-site testing.

Exploring Wild Hordeum spontaneum and Hordeum marinum Accessions as Genetic Resources for Fungal Resistance

Crop Wild Relatives (CWRs), as potential sources of new genetic variants, are being extensively studied to identify genotypes that will be able to confer resistance to biotic stresses. In this study, a collection of barley wild relatives was assessed in the field, and their phenotypic variability was evaluated using a Barley Description List, reflecting the identified ecosites. Overall, the CWRs showed significant field resistance to various fungal diseases. To further investigate their resistance, greenhouse tests were performed, revealing that several CWRs exhibited resistance against Fusarium culmorum, Pyrenophora teres, and Puccinia hordei G.H. Otth. Additionally, to characterize the genetic diversity within the collection, DNA polymorphisms at 21 loci were examined. We successfully employed barley-specific SSR markers, confirming their suitability for identifying H. spontaneum and even H. marinum, i.e., perennial species. The SSR markers efficiently clustered the investigated collection according to species and ecotypes, similarly to the phenotypic assessment. Moreover, SSR markers associated with disease resistance revealed different alleles in comparison to those found in resistant barley cultivars. Overall, our findings highlight that this evaluated collection of CWRs represents a valuable reservoir of genetic variability and resistance genes that can be effectively utilized in breeding programs.

Diverse mycotoxin threats to safe food and feed cereals

Toxigenic fungi, including Aspergillus and Fusarium species, contaminate our major cereal crops with an array of harmful mycotoxins, which threaten the health of humans and farmed animals. Despite our best efforts to prevent crop diseases, or postharvest spoilage, our cereals are consistently contaminated with aflatoxins and deoxynivalenol, and while established monitoring systems effectively prevent acute exposure, Aspergillus and Fusarium mycotoxins still threaten our food security. This is through the understudied impacts of: (i) our chronic exposure to these mycotoxins, (ii) the underestimated dietary intake of masked mycotoxins, and (iii) the synergistic threat of cocontaminations by multiple mycotoxins. Mycotoxins also have profound economic consequences for cereal and farmed-animal producers, plus their associated food and feed industries, which results in higher food prices for consumers. Climate change and altering agronomic practices are predicted to exacerbate the extent and intensity of mycotoxin contaminations of cereals. Collectively, this review of the diverse threats from Aspergillus and Fusarium mycotoxins highlights the need for renewed and concerted efforts to understand, and mitigate, the increased risks they pose to our food and feed cereals.

Approach for quick exploration of highly effective broad-spectrum biocontrol strains based on PO8 protein inhibition

Aflatoxin is a group of strongly toxic and carcinogenic mycotoxins produced by Aspergillus flavus and other Aspergillus species, which caused food contamination and food loss problems widely across the world especially in developing countries, thus threatening human health and sustainable development. So, it is important to develop new, green, and broad-spectrum biocontrol technology for the prevention of aflatoxin contamination sources. Previously, we found that the PO8 protein from aflatoxigenic A. flavus could be used as a biomarker to predict aflatoxin production in peanuts (so the PO8 is named as an early warning molecule), which infers that the PO8 is relative to aflatoxin production. Therefore, in the study, based on inhibiting the PO8, a new and quick strategy for screening aflatoxin biocontrol strains for developing control agents was presented. With the PO8 inhibition method, four biocontrol strains (2 strains were isolated from peanut kernels with sterilized surface and another 2 strains from peanut rhizosphere soil) were selected and combined to increase prevention wide-spectrum. As a result, the combination showed over 90% inhibition to all tested aflatoxigenic A. flavus isolated from three different peanut production areas (north, middle, and south areas of China), and better than any single strain. The field experiments located in five provinces of China showed that the practice prevention effects (inhibition of aflatoxigenic fungi on the surface of the peanuts) were from 50% to over 80%. The results indicated that the strategy of inhibiting the early warning molecule PO8 can be used to develop aflatoxin control agents well.

Screening of the phytochemical constituents of Teucrium polium extract and evaluation of their prophylactic role against the oxidative damage and cytotoxicity of Aflatoxin B1 in rats

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is common carcinogen causing acute and chronic hepatocyte injuries. This study aimed to determine the bioactive components of Teucrium polium methanolic extract (TPE) and to evaluate their protective role against AFB1-induced oxidative damage, cytotoxicity, and genotoxicity in rats. Six groups of male albino rats were treated orally for 4 weeks including the control group, the ِAFB1-treated group (80 μg/kg b.w.), the groups treated with low (LD) or high (HD) dose TPE (50 or 100 mg/kg b.w.), and the groups treated with AFB1 plus TEP (LD) or TPE (HD). Blood and serum samples were collected for different assays. The GC-MS identified 34 compounds, the major compounds were pinene, germacrene D, α-cadinol, α-thujene, epi-bicyclosesquiphellandrene, and limonene. Animals that received AFB1 showed significant changes in all indicators of oxidative stress, biochemistry, cytokines, MNPCEs, comet tail formation in bone marrow, mRNA expression of inflammatory-related genes, Nrf2, and iNOS beside histological changes in the liver. TPE at the two doses tested showed insignificant changes in all tested parameters. The extract could normalize most of these parameters and the hepatic structure in AFB1-treated animals in a dose-dependent fashion. therefore, we concluded that TPE supplementation is effective for protection against AFB1 in endemic areas.

Soil Aspergillus Species, Pathogenicity and Control Perspectives

Five Aspergillus sections have members that are established agricultural pests and producers of different metabolites, threatening global food safety. Most of these pathogenic Aspergillus species have been isolated from almost all major biomes. The soil remains the primary habitat for most of these cryptic fungi. This review explored some of the ecological attributes that have contributed immensely to the success of the pathogenicity of some members of the genus Aspergillus over time. Hence, the virulence factors of the genus Aspergillus, their ecology and others were reviewed. Furthermore, some biological control techniques were recommended. Pathogenic effects of Aspergillus species are entirely accidental; therefore, the virulence evolution prediction model in such species becomes a challenge, unlike their obligate parasite counterparts. In all, differences in virulence among organisms involved both conserved and species-specific genetic factors. If the impacts of climate change continue, new cryptic Aspergillus species will emerge and mycotoxin contamination risks will increase in all ecosystems, as these species can metabolically adjust to nutritional and biophysical challenges. As most of their gene clusters are silent, fungi continue to be a source of underexplored bioactive compounds. The World Soil Charter recognizes the relevance of soil biodiversity in supporting healthy soil functions. The question of how a balance may be struck between supporting healthy soil biodiversity and the control of toxic fungi species in the field to ensure food security is therefore pertinent. Numerous advanced strategies and biocontrol methods so far remain the most environmentally sustainable solution to the control of toxigenic fungi in the field.

Effect of Fungicide Treatment on Multi-Mycotoxin Occurrence in French Wheat during a 4-Year Period

Wheat represents one of the most widely consumed cereals worldwide. Cultivated in winter and spring, it is vulnerable to an array of different pathogens, including fungi, which are managed largely through the in-field application of fungicides. During this study, a 4-year field investigation (2018-2021) was performed in France, aiming to assess the efficacy of fungicide treatment to reduce mycotoxin contamination in common and durum wheat. Several different commercially available fungicides were applied via sprayers. Concentrations of mycotoxins and fungal metabolites in wheat were determined using a multi-analyte liquid-chromatography-tandem-mass-spectrometry-based method. The highest contamination levels and strongest effects of fungicides were observed in 2018, followed by 2021. A significant fungicide-mediated reduction was observed for the trichothecenes deoxynivalenol, deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside, nivalenol, and nivalenol-3-glucoside. Furthermore, fungicide treatment also reduced levels of culmorin and its hydroxy metabolites 5- and 15-hydroxy-culmorin, as well as aurofusarin. Interestingly, the Alternaria metabolite infectopyron was increased following fungicide treatment. In conclusion, fungicide treatment was effective in reducing mycotoxin levels in wheat. However, as complete prevention of mycotoxin contamination was not achieved, fungicide treatment should always be combined with other pre- and post-harvest mycotoxin mitigation strategies to improve food and feed safety.

Recent advances of ratiometric sensors in food matrices: mycotoxins detection

The public health problem caused by mycotoxins contamination has received a great deal of attention worldwide. Mycotoxins produced by filamentous fungi widely distributed in foodstuffs can cause adverse impacts on humans and livestock, posing serious health threats. Particularly worth mentioning is that mycotoxins can accumulate in organisms and be enriched through the food chain. Improving early trace detection and control from the source is a more desirable approach than the contaminated food disposal process to ensure food safety. Conventional sensors are susceptible to interference from various components in intricate food matrices when detecting trace mycotoxins. The application of ratiometric sensors avoids signal fluctuations, and reduce background influences, which casts new light on developing sensors with superior performance. This work is the first to provide an overview of the recent progress of ratiometric sensors in the detection of mycotoxins in intricate food matrices, and highlight the output types of ratiometric signal with respect to accurate quantitative analysis. The prospects of this field are also included in this paper and are intended to have key ramifications on the development of sensing detection conducive to food safety.

Effects of climate change on the distribution of Fusarium spp. in Italy

This work studies the incidence of Fusarium spp. on wheat kernels about current and future climatic conditions in Italy. Epidemiological analyses were performed from 2007 to 2013 and the resulting dataset was used to find correlations between the disease incidence of five important Fusarium species monitored in Italy (Fusarium graminearum, F. langsethiae, F. sporotrichioides, F. poae and F. avenaceum) and climatic and geographical parameters. Probabilistic-based modelling of the actual distribution of Fusarium spp. was achieved by using the Zero-inflated Poisson regression. The probabilistic geographical distribution of the Fusarium species was assessed by applying future climatic scenarios (RCPs 4.5 and 8.5). The shift from current to future climatic scenarios highlighted changes on a national and regional scale. The tightening of environmental conditions from the RCP4.5 to 8.5 scenarios resulted in a sporadic presence of F. avenaceum only in the northern region of Italy. Fusarium graminearum was plentifully present in the current climate, but the tightening of minimum and maximum temperatures and the decrease of precipitation between May-June in the RCP8.5 no longer represents the optimum conditions for it. Fusarium langsethiae was currently distributed in all of Italy, showing an increase in the probability of detecting it by moving from high to low latitudes and from low to high longitudes in the RCP8.5. Fusarium poae, unlike other Fusarium species, grows and develops in arid climatic conditions. High values of F. poae were recorded at low latitudes and longitudes. Under the RCP scenarios, it showed high incidence probabilities in the southeast and northeast areas of Italy. Fusarium sporotrichioides is scarcely present in Italy, found at high latitudes and in the central areas. Climate change altered this distribution, and the chances of discovering it increased significantly moving to southern Italy. Overall, the study shows that climate change conditions are likely to lead to an increase in the incidence of Fusarium species on wheat kernels in Italy, highlighting the importance of developing strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change on wheat production, quality, and safety.

Occurrence of aflatoxins in water and decontamination strategies: A review

Aflatoxins are highly carcinogenic metabolites produced by some Aspergillus species and are the most prevalent mycotoxins. Although aflatoxins are commonly synthesized during fungal colonization in preharvest maize, cereals, and nuts, they can be transported by rainfall to surface water and are a common toxin found in wastewater from some food industries. Here, the occurrence of aflatoxins in bodies of water is reviewed for the first time, along with the decontamination methods. Aflatoxins have been detected in surface, wastewater and drinking water, including tap and bottled water. The specific sources of water contamination remain unclear, which is an important gap that must be addressed in future research. Two main kinds of decontamination methods have been reported, including degradation and adsorption. The best degradation rates were observed using gamma and UV irradiations, oxidoreductases and ozone, while the best adsorption abilities were observed with minerals, polyvinyl alcohol, durian peel and activated carbon. Synthetic polymers could be used as membranes in pipes to remove aflatoxins in water flows. Although most decontamination methods were screened using AFB₁, the other commonly found aflatoxins were not used in the screenings. Overall, the occurrence of aflatoxins in water could be a significant emerging public health concern largely ignored by local and international legislation. Numerous advances have been reported for the decontamination of aflatoxins in water; however, there is still a long way to go to put them into practice.

The Effect of Environmental Factors on Mould Counts and AFB1 Toxin Production by Aspergillus flavus in Maize

The toxins produced by Aspergillus flavus can significantly inhibit the use of maize. As a result of climate change, toxin production is a problem not only in tropical and subtropical areas but in an increasing number of European countries, including Hungary. The effect of meteorological factors and irrigation on mould colonization and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) mycotoxin production by A. flavus were investigated in natural conditions, as well as the inoculation with a toxigenic isolate in a complex field experiment for three years. As a result of irrigation, the occurrence of fungi increased, and toxin production decreased. The mould count of fungi and toxin accumulation showed differences during the examined growing seasons. The highest AFB1 content was found in 2021. The main environmental factors in predicting mould count were temperature (Tavg, Tmax ≥ 30 °C, Tmax ≥ 32 °C, Tmax ≥ 35 °C) and atmospheric drought (RHmin ≤ 40%). Toxin production was determined by extremely high daily maximum temperatures (Tmax ≥ 35 °C). At natural contamination, the effect of Tmax ≥ 35 °C on AFB1 was maximal (r = 0.560–0.569) in the R4 stage. In the case of artificial inoculation, correlations with environmental factors were stronger (r = 0.665–0.834) during the R2–R6 stages.

In-Vitro and In-Silico Investigation for the Spent-Coffee Bioactive Phenolics as a Promising Aflatoxins Production Inhibitor

Aflatoxin, is a naturally occurring polyketide generated by Aspergillus flavus via biosynthetic pathways, including polyketide synthase (PKS) and non-ribosomal enzymes. The in vitro analysis supported by molecular dynamics (MD) techniques was used to examine the antifungal and anti-aflatoxigenic activity of spent coffee grounds (SCGs) methanol extract. The High-Performance Liquid Chromatography results revealed the presence of 15 phenolic acids and five flavonoids. (R)-(+)-Rosmarinic acid (176.43 ± 2.41 µg/g) was the predominant of the detected acids, followed by gallic acid (34.83 ± 1.05 µg/g). At the same time, apigenin-7-glucoside is the dominant flavonoid in the SCGs extract by 1717.05 ± 5.76 µg/g, and naringin (97.27 ± 1.97 µg/g) comes next. The antifungal and anti-aflatoxigenic activity of the SCGs extracts was 380 µL/mL and 460 µL/mL, respectively. The SGGs’ effect of inhibiting five Aspergillus strains’ growth on the agar media ranged between 12.81 ± 1.71 to 15.64 ± 1.08 mm by two diffusion assays. Molecular docking results confirmed the inhibitory action of different phenolics and flavonoids on the PKS and NPS key enzymes of the aflatoxin biosynthetic mechanism. The SCGs extract components with the highest free binding energy, naringin (−9.1 kcal/mL) and apigenin 7-glucoside (−9.1 kcal/mol), were subjected to an MD simulation study. The computational results infer the stabilizing effects on the enzymes upon ligand binding led to the impairment in its functionality. The current study represents a novel attempt to assess the anti aflatoxins mechanism of phenolics and flavonoids targeting PKS and NPS via computational approaches compared to in-vitro assays.

Impact of Climate Changes on the Natural Prevalence of Fusarium Mycotoxins in Maize Harvested in Serbia and Croatia

Ongoing climate change may affect the susceptibility of plants to attacks by pathogenic, mostly mycotoxigenic fungi with a consequent increase in the presence of mycotoxins. Fusarium fungi represent one of the most important producers of mycotoxins, and are also important pathogens of agricultural crops. Therefore, the main aim of the study was to estimate the impact of weather parameters on the natural occurrence of Fusarium mycotoxins, such as deoxynivalenol (DON), fumonisins B₁ and B₂ (FUMs), zearalenone (ZEN), T-2, and HT-2 toxins (T-2/HT-2) in maize samples harvested from two neighboring countries, Serbia and Croatia, during a four-year production period (2018-2021). The frequency and contamination level of examined Fusarium mycotoxins varied by maize year of production and could be linked to weather conditions per investigated country. Among them, FUMs were found to be the most common contaminants (84-100%) of maize in both Serbia and Croatia. Additionally, a critical assessment of Fusarium mycotoxins occurrence in the last 10 years (2012-2021), for both Serbia and Croatia, was done. Results pointed out the highest contamination of maize from 2014, especially with DON and ZEN, in connection to extreme levels of precipitation observed in both Serbia and Croatia, whereas FUMs occurred with high prevalence from each of the ten investigated years.

Aflatoxins in Maize from Serbia and Croatia: Implications of Climate Change

Aflatoxins (AFs) represent the most important mycotoxin group, whose presence in food and feed poses significant global health and economic issues. The occurrence of AFs in maize is a burning problem worldwide, mainly attributed to droughts. In recent years, Serbia and Croatia faced climate changes followed by a warming trend. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to estimate the influence of weather on AFs occurrence in maize from Serbia and Croatia in the 2018-2021 period. The results indicate that hot and dry weather witnessed in the year 2021 resulted in the highest prevalence of AFs in maize samples in both Serbia (84%) and Croatia (40%). In maize harvested in 2018-2020, AFs occurred in less than, or around, 10% of Serbian and 20% of Croatian samples. In order to conduct a comprehensive study on the implications of climate change for the occurrence of AFs in maize grown in these two countries, the results of available studies performed in the last thirteen years were searched for and discussed.

Advanced mycotoxin control and decontamination techniques in view of an increased aflatoxin risk in Europe due to climate change

Aflatoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by Aspergillus spp. found in staple food and feed commodities worldwide. Aflatoxins are carcinogenic, teratogenic, and mutagenic, and pose a serious threat to the health of both humans and animals. The global economy and trade are significantly affected as well. Various models and datasets related to aflatoxins in maize have been developed and used but have not yet been linked. The prevention of crop loss due to aflatoxin contamination is complex and challenging. Hence, the set-up of advanced decontamination is crucial to cope with the challenge of climate change, growing population, unstable political scenarios, and food security problems also in European countries. After harvest, decontamination methods can be applied during transport, storage, or processing, but their application for aflatoxin reduction is still limited. Therefore, this review aims to investigate the effects of environmental factors on aflatoxin production because of climate change and to critically discuss the present-day and novel decontamination techniques to unravel gaps and limitations to propose them as a tool to tackle an increased aflatoxin risk in Europe.

Exposure assessment of aflatoxins and zearalenone in edible vegetable oils in Shandong, China: health risks posed by mycotoxin immunotoxicity and reproductive toxicity in children

Human exposure to aflatoxins (AFs) and zearalenone (ZEA) has not been sufficiently investigated. Here, we analyzed the exposure level and health risks posed by AFs (B1, B2, G1, G2) and ZEA through cooking oil consumption in Shandong, China. The individual daily consumption of cooking oil was calculated through 2745 questionnaires during 2017-2019. The average contamination levels of mycotoxins were estimated by examining 60 cooking oil samples. For the peanut oil, AFs ranged from <0.2 to 274 μg/kg, with a positive rate of 66.6% (20/30). Average levels of 36.62 μg/kg AFB₁ and 44.43 μg/kg total AFs were found. Over-the-limit level (20 μg/kg) of AFB₁ was detected in 8/30 samples. Estimated daily intake (EDI) and margin of exposure (MOE) for age-stratified population groups showed that children are facing highest adverse health risk with AFB₁ (MOE 5.88-6.39). The liver cancer incidences attributable to AFB₁ exposure are non-negligible as 0.896, 0.825, and 0.767 cases per 100,000 for 6-14 age group, 15-17 age group, and adult labor-intensive workers. Over-the-limit level (60 μg/kg) ZEA contamination was detected in 25/30 corn oil samples with a 50th percentile value of 97.95 μg/kg. Our health risk assessment suggested significant health risks of enterohepatic (inflammation and cancer), reproductive, and endocrine systems posed by AFs and ZEA. However, the health risk of immunotoxicity is unclear because currently animal study data are not available for the immunotoxicity induced after long-term exposure. In general, the health risks posed by mycotoxins are non-negligible and long-term mycotoxin surveillance is necessary.

The Effect of Cultivation Conditions on Antifungal and Maize Seed Germination Activity of Bacillus-Based Biocontrol Agent

Aflatoxin contamination is a global risk and a concerning problem threatening food safety. The biotechnological answer lies in the production of biocontrol agents that are effective against aflatoxins producers. In addition to their biocontrol effect, microbial-based products are recognized as efficient biosolutions for plant nutrition and growth promotion. The present study addresses the characterization of the representative of Phaseolus vulgaris rhizosphere microbiome, Bacillus sp. BioSol021, regarding plant growth promotion traits, including the activity of protease, cellulase, xylanase, and pectinase with the enzymatic activity index values 1.06, 2.04, 2.41, and 3.51, respectively. The potential for the wider commercialization of this kind of product is determined by the possibility of developing a scalable bioprocess solution suitable for technology transfer to an industrial scale. Therefore, the study addresses one of the most challenging steps in bioprocess development, including the production scale-up from the Erlenmeyer flask to the laboratory bioreactor. The results indicated the influence of the key bioprocess parameters on the dual mechanism of action of biocontrol effects against the aflatoxigenic Aspergillus flavus, as well on maize seed germination activity, pointing out the positive impact of high aeration intensity and agitation rate, resulting in inhibition zone diameters of 60 mm, a root length 96 mm, and a shoot length 27 mm.

Comprehensive Review of Aflatoxin Contamination, Impact on Health and Food Security, and Management Strategies in Pakistan

Aflatoxins (AFs) are the most important toxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic fungal toxins that routinely contaminate food and feed. While more than 20 AFs have been identified to date, aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), B2 (AFB2), G1 (AFG1), G2 (AFG2), and M1 (AFM1) are the most common. Over 25 species of Aspergillus have been shown to produce AFs, with Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus parasiticus, and Aspergillus nomius being the most important and well-known AF-producing fungi. These ubiquitous molds can propagate on agricultural commodities to produce AFs in fields and during harvesting, processing, transportation, and storage. Countries with warmer climates and that produce foods susceptible to AF contamination shoulder a substantial portion of the global AF burden. Pakistan's warm climate promotes the growth of toxigenic fungi, resulting in frequent AF contamination of human foods and animal feeds. The potential for contamination in Pakistan is exacerbated by improper storage conditions and a lack of regulatory limits and enforcement mechanisms. High levels of AFs in common commodities produced in Pakistan are a major food safety problem, posing serious health risks to the population. Furthermore, aflatoxin contamination contributes to economic losses by limiting exports of these commodities. In this review, recent information regarding the fungal producers of AFs, prevalence of AF contamination of foods and feed, current regulations, and AF prevention and removal strategies are summarized, with a major focus on Pakistan.

Identification and Safety Evaluation of Ochratoxin A Transformation Product in Rapeseed Oil Refining Process

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is an important mycotoxin detected in edible oil, and it can be effectively removed by classical edible oil refining processes. However, the fate of OTA in the refining process has not been reported. In this study, we systematically tracked the OTA changes during the oil refining process by fortifying 100 μg/kg OTA in crude rapeseed oil. Results showed that about 10.57%, 88.85%, and 0.58% of OTA were removed during the degumming, deacidification, and decolorization processes. Among them, 16.25% OTA was transferred to the byproducts, including 9.85% in degumming wastewater, 5.68% in soap stock, 0.14% in deacidification wastewater, and 0.58% in the decolorizer; 83.75% OTA was found to transform into the lactone ring opened OTA (OP-OTA) during the deacidification stage, which is attributed to the hydrolysis of the lactone ring of OTA in the alkali refining. The OP-OTA was verified to distribute in the soap stock, and small amounts of OP-OTA could be transferred to deacidified wastewater when the OTA pollution level reached 500 μg/kg in crude rapeseed oil. The OP-OTA exhibited strong toxicity, especially nephrotoxicity, as reflected by the cell viability assay and in silico toxicity. Therefore, the safety of the soap stock processing products from OTA-contaminated rapeseed deserves attention.

Barley Resistance to Fusarium graminearum Infections: From Transcriptomics to Field with Food Safety Concerns

Global climate change and the urgency to transform food crops require substantial breeding efforts to meet the food security challenges. Barley, an important cereal, has remained a preferential host of phytotoxic diseases caused by the Fusarium graminearum that not only severely reduces the crop yield but also compromises its food quality due to the accumulation of mycotoxins. To develop resistance against Fusarium infections, a better understanding of the host-pathogen interaction is inevitable and could be tracked through molecular insights. Here, we focused precisely on the potential gene targets that are exclusive to this devastating pathosystem and could be harnessed for fast breeding of barley. We also discuss the eco-friendly applications of nanobio hybrid and the CRISPR technology for barley protection. This review covers the critical information gaps within the subject and may be useful for the sustainable improvement of barley from the perspective of food and environmental safety concerns.

Lactic Acid Bacteria as Potential Agents for Biocontrol of Aflatoxigenic and Ochratoxigenic Fungi

Aflatoxins (AF) and ochratoxin A (OTA) are fungal metabolites that have carcinogenic, teratogenic, embryotoxic, genotoxic, neurotoxic, and immunosuppressive effects in humans and animals. The increased consumption of plant-based foods and environmental conditions associated with climate change have intensified the risk of mycotoxin intoxication. This study aimed to investigate the abilities of eleven selected LAB strains to reduce/inhibit the growth of Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus parasiticus, Aspergillus carbonarius, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus welwitschiae, Aspergillus steynii, Aspergillus westerdijkiae, and Penicillium verrucosum and AF and OTA production under different temperature regiments. Data were treated by ANOVA, and machine learning (ML) models able to predict the growth inhibition percentage were built, and their performance was compared. All factors LAB strain, fungal species, and temperature significantly affected fungal growth and mycotoxin production. The fungal growth inhibition range was 0-100%. Overall, the most sensitive fungi to LAB treatments were P. verrucosum and A. steynii, while the least sensitive were A. niger and A. welwitschiae. The LAB strains with the highest antifungal activity were Pediococcus pentosaceus (strains S11sMM and M9MM5b). The reduction range for AF was 19.0% (aflatoxin B1)-60.8% (aflatoxin B2) and for OTA, 7.3-100%, depending on the bacterial and fungal strains and temperatures. The LAB strains with the highest anti-AF activity were the three strains of P. pentosaceus and Leuconostoc mesenteroides ssp. dextranicum (T2MM3), and those with the highest anti-OTA activity were Leuconostoc paracasei ssp. paracasei (3T3R1) and L. mesenteroides ssp. dextranicum (T2MM3). The best ML methods in predicting fungal growth inhibition were multilayer perceptron neural networks, followed by random forest. Due to anti-fungal and anti-mycotoxin capacity, the LABs strains used in this study could be good candidates as biocontrol agents against aflatoxigenic and ochratoxigenic fungi and AFL and OTA accumulation.

Mycotoxins and Essential Oils-From a Meat Industry Hazard to a Possible Solution: A Brief Review

The preservation of food supplies has been humankind's priority since ancient times, and it is arguably more relevant today than ever before. Food sustainability and safety have been heavily prioritized by consumers, producers, and government entities alike. In this regard, filamentous fungi have always been a health hazard due to their contamination of the food substrate with mycotoxins. Additionally, mycotoxins are proven resilient to technological processing. This study aims to identify the main mycotoxins that may occur in the meat and meat products "Farm to Fork" chain, along with their effect on the consumers' health, and also to identify effective methods of prevention through the use of essential oils (EO). At the same time, the antifungal and antimycotoxigenic potential of essential oils was considered in order to provide an overview of the subject. Targeting the main ways of meat products' contamination, the use of essential oils with proven in vitro or in situ efficacy against certain fungal species can be an effective alternative if all the associated challenges are addressed (e.g., application methods, suitability for certain products, toxicity).

The potential and applicability of infrared spectroscopic methods for the rapid screening and routine analysis of mycotoxins in food crops

Infrared (IR) spectroscopy is increasingly being used to analyze food crops for quality and safety purposes in a rapid, nondestructive, and eco-friendly manner. The lack of sensitivity and the overlapping absorption characteristics of major sample matrix components, however, often prevent the direct determination of food contaminants at trace levels. By measuring fungal-induced matrix changes with near IR and mid IR spectroscopy as well as hyperspectral imaging, the indirect determination of mycotoxins in food crops has been realized. Recent studies underline that such IR spectroscopic platforms have great potential for the rapid analysis of mycotoxins along the food and feed supply chain. However, there are no published reports on the validation of IR methods according to official regulations, and those publications that demonstrate their applicability in a routine analytical set-up are scarce. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to discuss the current state-of-the-art and the potential of IR spectroscopic methods for the rapid determination of mycotoxins in food crops. The study critically reflects on the applicability and limitations of IR spectroscopy in routine analysis and provides guidance to non-spectroscopists from the food and feed sector considering implementation of IR spectroscopy for rapid mycotoxin screening. Finally, an outlook on trends, possible fields of applications, and different ways of implementation in the food and feed safety area are discussed.