The importance and mitigation of mycotoxins and plant toxins in Southeast Asian fermented foods

Efficacy of fermented foods in irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Objective

Fermented foods (FFs) may theoretically benefit irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms, but the role of FFs for IBS patients in the real world is inconsistent and has not been systematically assessed. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine this issue.

Methods

PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane Library databases were searched up to August 2024. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the efficacy of FFs in IBS were eligible for the analysis. Two authors independently screened studies and extracted data. Data were pooled using relative risk (RR) of dichotomous data and standardized mean difference (SMD) for continuous data.

Results

A total of 16 RCTs with 1,264 IBS patients were included. There were 12 RCTs involving 975 patients providing primary outcomes which was defined as symptom relief. The proportion of symptom relief was associated with the administration of FFs (RR 1.22, 95% CI 1.04-1.42, p = 0.01, I 2 = 0%). For secondary outcomes, FFs also exerted a beneficial effect on global symptoms scores (SMD = -0.15; 95% CI -0.29 to -0.02, p = 0.02, I 2 = 46%), but no significant improvement on abdominal pain scores and bloating scores. Subgroup analysis showed that fermented milk had a beneficial effect on symptom relief (RR 1.19, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.39, p = 0.04, I 2 = 0%).

Conclusion

Fermented foods, especially fermented milk with probiotics properties, appear to be efficacious in irritable bowel syndrome. However, given the limitations of current evidence, this conclusion should be interpreted with caution.

Systematic Review Registration

This study was registered on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) as CRD42024576608.

A multiplex microarray lateral flow immunoassay device for simultaneous determination of five mycotoxins in rice

Co-occurrence of multiple mycotoxins is a growing global food safety concern due to their harmful effects on humans and animals. This study developed an eco-friendly sample preparation method and an innovative multiplex microarray-based lateral flow immunoassay, using a novel portable reader for on-site simultaneous determination of five regulated mycotoxins-aflatoxin B1, T-2 toxin, zearalenone, deoxynivalenol, and fumonisin B1 in rice. The eco-friendly and ultrafast extraction procedure utilizes a bio-based solvent. Principally, the microarray signals generated through a novel luminescent organic dye were captured to quantify mycotoxin levels in samples using a portable reader installed with a user-friendly interface. The assay demonstrates accurate detection and quantification of these mycotoxins, with recoveries ranging from 77% to 127%. Detection limits ranged from 0.56 to 1.89 μg/kg, which were well below their regulatory limits, with a relative standard deviation below 25%. This analytical system provides an on-site method for detecting multiple mycotoxins in rice.

Plant-Based Meat Analogues in the Human Diet: What Are the Hazards?

Research regarding meat analogues is mostly based on formulation and process development. Information concerning their safety, shelf life, and long-term nutritional and health effects is limited. This article reviews the existing literature and analyzes potential hazards introduced or modified throughout the processing chain of plant-based meat analogues via extrusion processing, encompassing nutritional, microbiological, chemical, and allergen aspects. It was found that the nutritional value of plant-based raw materials and proteins extracted thereof increases along the processing chain. However, the nutritional value of plant-based meat analogues is lower than that of e.g., animal-based products. Consequently, higher quantities of these products might be needed to achieve a nutritional profile similar to e.g., meat. This could lead to an increased ingestion of undigestible proteins and dietary fiber. Although dietary fibers are known to have many positive health benefits, they present a hazard since their consumption at high concentrations might lead to gastrointestinal reactions. Even though there is plenty of ongoing research on this topic, it is still not clear how the sole absorption of metabolites derived from plant-based products compared with animal-based products ultimately affects human health. Allergens were identified as a hazard since plant-based proteins can induce an allergic reaction, are known to have cross-reactivities with other allergens and cannot be eliminated during the processing of meat analogues. Microbiological hazards, especially the occurrence of spore- and non-spore-forming bacteria, do not represent a particular case if requirements and regulations are met. Lastly, it was concluded that there are still many unknown variables and open questions regarding potential hazards possibly present in meat analogues, including processing-related compounds such as n-nitrosamines, acrylamide, and heterocyclic aromatic amino acids.

Mitigation of Mycotoxins in Food-Is It Possible?

Among microorganisms found in food, fungi stand out because they are adaptable and competitive in a large range of water activities, temperatures, pHs, humidities and substrate types. Besides sporulating, some species are toxigenic and produce toxic metabolites, mycotoxins, under adverse biotic and abiotic variables. Microorganisms are inactivated along the food chain, but mycotoxins have stable structures and remain in ready-to-eat food. The most prevalent mycotoxins in food, which are aflatoxins, fumonisins, ochratoxin A, patulin, tenuazonic acid, trichothecenes and zearalenone, have maximum tolerable limits (MTLs) defined as ppb and ppt by official organizations. The chronic and acute toxicities of mycotoxins and their stability are different in a chemical family. This critical review aims to discuss promising scientific research that successfully mitigated levels of mycotoxins and focus the results of our research group on this issue. It highlights the application of natural antifungal compounds, combinations of management, processing parameters and emergent technologies, and their role in reducing the levels and bioaccessibility. Despite good crop management and processing practices, total decontamination is almost impossible. Experimental evidence has shown that exposure to mycotoxins may be mitigated. However, multidisciplinary efforts need to be made to improve the applicability of successful techniques in the food supply chain to avoid mycotoxins' impact on global food insecurity.

Solid-state fermentation of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz): a review

Solid-state fermentation (SSF) is a promising technology for producing value-added products from cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz). In this process, microorganisms are grown on cassava biomass without the presence of free-flowing liquid. Compared to other processing methods, SSF has several advantages, such as lower costs, reduced water usage, and higher product yields. By enhancing the content of bioactive compounds like antioxidants and phenolic compounds, SSF can also improve the nutritional value of cassava-based products. Various products, including enzymes, organic acids, and biofuels, have been produced using SSF of cassava. Additionally, SSF can help minimize waste generated during cassava processing by utilizing cassava waste as a substrate, which can reduce environmental pollution. The process has also been explored for the production of feed and food products such as tempeh and cassava flour. However, optimizing the process conditions, selecting suitable microbial strains, and developing cost-effective production processes are essential for the successful commercialization of SSF of cassava.

Selenomethionine attenuates ochratoxin A-induced small intestinal injury in rabbits by activating the Nrf2 pathway and inhibiting NF-κB activation

The aim of this study was to investigate whether selenomethionine (SeMet) could attenuate intestinal injury in rabbits induced by ochratoxin A (OTA). Sixty 35-day-old IRA rabbits with similar weights were randomly assigned to the control group, OTA group (0.2 mg OTA/kg b.w), OTA+ 0.2 mg/kg Se (0.2 mg OTA/kg b.w + 0.2 mg SeMet/kg feed), OTA+ 0.4 mg/kg Se (0.2 mg OTA/kg b.w + 0.4 mg SeMet/kg feed) and OTA+ 0.6 mg/kg Se (0.2 mg OTA/kg b.w + 0.6 mg SeMet/kg feed). The rabbits were examined after oral administration of different doses of SeMet for 21 days and were intragastrically administered OTA for 7 consecutive days. The results showed that pretreatment with different doses of SeMet protected against the changes in serum biochemical indicators and the decline in production performance caused by OTA exposure. In addition, the activities of SOD, GSH-PX and T-AOC were significantly increased, and the levels of MDA and ROS were decreased after SeMet pretreatment; thus, oxidative damage in rabbit jejunum tissue due to OTA exposure was inhibited. SeMet stimulates Nrf2 and inhibits the NF-κB signalling pathway; the anti-inflammatory response and antioxidative stress in rabbits were improved, and the intestinal barrier damage caused by OTA exposure was improved. In summary, SeMet alleviates OTA-induced intestinal toxicity in rabbits by activating the Nrf2 pathway and inhibiting NF-κB activation. Moreover, 0.4 mg/kg SeMet induced the most significant improvement.