Investigating Metabolic Plant Response toward Deoxynivalenol Accumulation in Four Winter Cereals

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a phytotoxic agent supporting the spread of fungal diseases in cereals worldwide, i.e., fusarium head blight. It is known that DON accumulation may elicit changes in plant secondary metabolites in response to pathogen attack. This study maps the changes in selected secondary metabolite classes upon DON contamination occurring in fifteen Triticum spp. genotypes, among them emmer, spelt, and soft wheat, and 2 tritordeum varieties, cultivated in two different sites and over two harvest years. The main phenolic classes (i.e., alkylresorcinols, soluble, and cell-wall bound phenolic acids) were targeted analyzed, while changes in the lipidome signature were collected through untargeted HRMS experiments. The results, obtained across multiple Triticum species and in open fields, confirmed the modulation of first-line biological pathways already described in previous studies involving single cereal species or a limited germplasm, thus reinforcing the involvement of nonspecific chemical defenses in the plant response to pathogen attack.

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.

Erucin Exerts Cardioprotective Effects on Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury through the Modulation of mitoKATP Channels

Modulation of mitochondrial K channels represents a pharmacological strategy to promote cardioprotective effects. Isothiocyanates emerge as molecules capable of releasing hydrogen sulfide (H2S), an endogenous pleiotropic gasotransmitter responsible for anti-ischemic cardioprotective effects also through the involvement of mitoK channels. Erucin (ERU) is a natural isothiocyanate resulting from the enzymatic hydrolysis of glucosinolates (GSLs) present in Eruca sativa Mill. seeds, an edible plant of the Brassicaceae family. In this experimental work, the specific involvement of mitoKATP channels in the cardioprotective effect induced by ERU was evaluated in detail. An in vivo preclinical model of acute myocardial infarction was reproduced in rats to evaluate the cardioprotective effect of ERU. Diazoxide was used as a reference compound for the modulation of potassium fluxes and 5-hydroxydecanoic acid (5HD) as a selective blocker of KATP channels. Specific investigations on isolated cardiac mitochondria were carried out to evaluate the involvement of mitoKATP channels. The results obtained showed ERU cardioprotective effects against ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) damage through the involvement of mitoKATP channels and the consequent depolarizing effect, which in turn reduced calcium entry and preserved mitochondrial integrity.

Hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) shells as a potential source of dietary fibre: impact of hydrothermal treatment temperature on fibre structure and degradation compounds

BACKGROUND

Hemicellulose extraction from lignocellulosic biomasses has gained interest over the years, and hydrothermal treatment is one of the most common methods employed for this purpose. This work aimed to deeply study hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) shells as a new source of dietary fibre, evaluating the effect of hydrothermal treatment temperatures on the type and structure of fibre extracted, but also on the formation of side-products derived from lignocellulose degradation.

RESULTS

Different process temperatures led to diverse polysaccharides in the hydrothermal extract. Pectin was identified for the first time in hazelnut shells when experimenting with extraction at 125 °C, whereas at 150 °C a heterogeneous mixture of pectin, xylan, and xylo-oligosaccharides was present. The highest yield in terms of total fibre was gained at 150 and 175 °C, and then decreased again at 200 °C. Finally, more than 500 compounds from different chemical classes were putatively identified and they appeared to be present in the extracted fibre with a different distribution and relative amount, depending on the heat treatment severity. A generally high content of phenols, phenyls, oligosaccharides, dehydro-sugars, and furans was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Modulation of the hydrothermal treatment temperature allows fibre extracts with very different compositions, and therefore different potential end uses, to be obtained from hazelnut shells. A sequential temperature-based fractionation approach, as a function of the severity of the extraction parameters, can also be considered. Nevertheless, the study of the side-compounds formed from lignocellulosic matrix degradation, as a function of the applied temperature, needs to be fully addressed for a safe introduction of the fibre extract within the food chain. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Untargeted Metabolomics of Meat Digests: Its Potential to Differentiate Pork Depending on the Feeding Regimen

Meat quality seems to be influenced by the dietary regimes applied for animal feeding. Several research studies are aimed at improving meat quality, preserving it from oxidative processes, by the incorporation of antioxidant components in animal feeding. The main part of these studies evaluates meat quality, determining different parameters directly on meat, while few research studies take into account what may happen after meat ingestion. To address this topic, in this study, an in vitro gastrointestinal digestion protocol was applied to two different pork muscles, longissimus dorsi and rectus femoris, obtained from pigs fed with different diets. In detail, two groups of 12 animals each were subjected to either a conventional diet or a supplemented diet with extruded linseeds as a source of omega-3 fatty acids and plant extracts as a source of phenolics antioxidant compounds. The digested meat was subjected to an untargeted metabolomics approach. Several metabolites deriving from lipid and protein digestion were detected. Our untargeted approach allowed for discriminating the two different meat cuts, based on their metabolomic profiles. Nonetheless, multivariate statistics allowed clearly discriminating between samples obtained from different animal diets. In particular, the inclusion of linseeds and polyphenols in the animal diet led to a decrease in metabolites generated from oxidative degradation reactions, in comparison to the conventional diet group. In the latter, fatty acyls, fatty aldehydes and oxylipins, as well as cholesterol and vitamin D3 precursors and derivatives, could be highlighted.

Occurrence of Ergot Alkaloids in Major and Minor Cereals from Northern Italy: A Three Harvesting Years Scenario

Ergot alkaloids (EAs), mycotoxins produced mainly by fungi of the Claviceps genus, have been frequently reported in rye, while their increasingly frequent occurrence in other cereals is likely related to weather conditions, with the incidence of ergot sclerotia in winter grains being related to heavy rainfall and moist soils at critical periods. However, compared to other regulated mycotoxins, data about the prevalence and occurrence of EAs in major and minor cereals harvested in the Mediterranean growing areas are still scant. In this regard, the current study reported the occurrence of EAs in 18 genotypes of winter cereals harvested over 3 years from an experimental field located in North Italy which were analyzed by HPLC-MS/MS. Results indicate a widespread occurrence of all the major EAs in all the considered cereal crops, especially under supportive meteorological conditions. EA contamination was dependent on the harvest year (p < 0.0001) which was particularly high in 2020 for all the considered species. The results also demonstrated a large co-occurrence of EAs with 98 cereal samples out of 162 contaminated with at least one of the 12 EAs (60% positive samples) in the range LOD: 15,389 μg/kg (median value: 2.32 μg/kg), expressed as the sum of the EAs. Rye was confirmed to be the crop more susceptible to the fungal infection (EAs content up to 4,302 μg/kg). To the best of our knowledge, we have reported the accumulation of EAs in tritordeum (LOD: 15,389 μg/kg) and in emmer (LOD: 1.9 μg/kg) for the first time.

Persulfidation of mitoKv7.4 channels contributes to the cardioprotective effects of the H2S-donor Erucin against ischemia/reperfusion injury

BACKGROUND

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a gasotransmitter deeply involved in cardiovascular homeostasis and implicated in the myocardial protection against ischemia/reperfusion. The post-translational persulfidation of cysteine residues has been identified as the mechanism through which H2S regulates a plethora of biological targets. Erucin (ERU) is an isothiocyanate produced upon hydrolysis of the glucosinolate glucoerucin, presents in edible plants of Brassicaceae family, such as Eruca sativa Mill., and it has emerged as a slow and long-lasting H2S-donor.

AIM

In this study the cardioprotective profile of ERU has been investigated and the action mechanism explored, focusing on the possible role of the recently identified mitochondrial Kv7.4 (mitoKv7.4) potassium channels.

RESULTS

Interestingly, ERU showed to release H2S and concentration-dependently protected H9c2 cells against H2O2-induced oxidative damage. Moreover, in in vivo model of myocardial infarct ERU showed protective effects, reducing the extension of ischemic area, the levels of troponin I and increasing the amount of total AnxA1, as well as co-related inflammatory outcomes. Conversely, the pre-treatment with XE991, a blocker of Kv7.4 channels, abolished them. In isolated cardiac mitochondria ERU exhibited the typical profile of a mitochondrial potassium channels opener, in particular, this isothiocyanate produced a mild depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential, a reduction of calcium accumulation into the matrix and finally a flow of potassium ions. Finally, mitoKv7.4 channels were persulfidated in ERU-treated mitochondria.

CONCLUSIONS

ERU modulates the cardiac mitoKv7.4 channels and this mechanism may be relevant for cardioprotective effects.

Implementing the Use of Collision Cross Section Database for Phycotoxin Screening Analysis

The increased consumption of blue-green algae (BGA)-based dietary supplements has raised concern about their food safety, especially about cyanotoxin presence. The hyphenation of liquid chromatography with ion mobility mass spectrometry represents a relevant tool to screen several compounds in a large variety of food matrices. In this work, ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled to traveling wave ion mobility spectrometry/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-TWIMS-QTOF) was employed to establish the first comprehensive TWIMS-derived collision cross section database (^TWCCS_N2) for phycotoxins. The database included 20 cyanotoxins and 1 marine toxin. Accurate m/z, retention times, and ^TWCCS_N2 values were obtained for 81 adducts in positive and negative electrospray (ESI⁺/ESI^-) modes. Reproducibility and robustness of the ^TWCCS_N2 measurements were determined to be independent of the matrix. A screening was carried out on 19 commercial BGA dietary supplements of different composition. Cyanotoxins were confidently identified in five samples based on retention time, m/z, and ^TWCCS_N2.

Perenniality, more than genotypes, shapes biological and chemical rhizosphere composition of perennial wheat lines

Perennial grains provide various ecosystem services compared to the annual counterparts thanks to their extensive root system and permanent soil cover. However, little is known about the evolution and diversification of perennial grains rhizosphere and its ecological functions over time. In this study, a suite of -OMICSs - metagenomics, enzymomics, metabolomics and lipidomics - was used to compare the rhizosphere environment of four perennial wheat lines at the first and fourth year of growth in comparison with an annual durum wheat cultivar and the parental species Thinopyrum intermedium. We hypothesized that wheat perenniality has a greater role in shaping the rhizobiome composition, biomass, diversity, and activity than plant genotypes because perenniality affects the quality and quantity of C input - mainly root exudates - hence modulating the plant-microbes crosstalk. In support of this hypothesis, the continuous supply of sugars in the rhizosphere along the years created a favorable environment for microbial growth which is reflected in a higher microbial biomass and enzymatic activity. Moreover, modification in the rhizosphere metabolome and lipidome over the years led to changes in the microbial community composition favoring the coexistence of more diverse microbial taxa, increasing plant tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Despite the dominance of the perenniality effect, our data underlined that the OK72 line rhizobiome distinguished from the others by the increase in abundance of Pseudomonas spp., most of which are known as potential beneficial microorganisms, identifying this line as a suitable candidate for the study and selection of new perennial wheat lines.

A multiplatform metabolomics/reactomics approach as a powerful strategy to identify reaction compounds generated during hemicellulose hydrothermal extraction from agro-food biomasses

Hydrothermal treatment is commonly used for hemicelluloses extraction from lignocellulosic materials. In this study, we thoroughly investigated with a novel approach the metabolomics of degradation compounds formed when hazelnut shells are subjected to this type of treatment. Three different complementary techniques were combined, namely GC-MS, ¹H NMR, and UHPLC-IM-Q-TOF-MS. Organic acids, modified sugars and aromatic compounds, likely to be the most abundant chemical classes, were detected and quantified by NMR, whereas GC- and LC-MS-based techniques allowed to detect many molecules with low and higher Mw, respectively. Furans, polyols, N-heterocyclic compounds, aldehydes, ketones, and esters appeared, among others. Ion mobility-based LC-MS method was innovatively used for this purpose and could allow soon to create potentially useful datasets for building specific databases relating to the formation of these compounds in different process conditions and employing different matrices. This could be a very intelligent approach especially in a risk assessment perspective.

Anthocyanin Content and Fusarium Mycotoxins in Pigmented Wheat (Triticum aestivum L. spp. aestivum): An Open Field Evaluation

Twelve Triticum aestivum L. spp. aestivum varieties with pigmented grain, namely one red, six purple, three blue, and two black, were grown in open fields over two consecutive years and screened to investigate their risk to the accumulation of multiple Fusarium-related mycotoxins. Deoxynivalenol (DON) and its modified forms DON3Glc, 3Ac-DON, 15Ac-DON, and T-2, HT-2, ZEN, and Enniatin B were quantified by means of UHPLC-MS/MS, along with 14 different cyanidin, petunidin, delphinidin, pelargonidin, peonidin, and malvidin glycosides. A significant strong influence effect of the harvesting year (p = 0.0002) was noticed for DON content, which was more than doubled between harvesting years growing seasons (mean of 3746 µg kg^-1 vs. 1463 µg kg^-1). In addition, a striking influence of varieties with different grain colour on DON content (p < 0.0001) emerged in combination with the harvesting year (year×colour, p = 0.0091), with blue grains being more contaminated (mean of 5352 µg kg^-1) and red grain being less contaminated (mean of 715 µg kg^-1). The trend was maintained between the two harvesting years despite the highly variable absolute mycotoxin content. Varieties accumulating anthocyanins in the pericarp (purple coloration) had significantly lower DON content compared to those in which aleurone was involved (blue coloration).

Metabolite Profiling and Bioactivities of Leaves, Stems, and Flowers of Rumex usambarensis (Dammer) Dammer, a Traditional African Medicinal Plant

The comprehensive identification of secondary metabolites represents a fundamental step for the assessment of bioactivities and pharmacological properties of traditional herbal drugs. Rumex usambarensis (Dammer) Dammer has been described as a multipurpose remedy in different African traditional pharmacopoeias, but its phytochemical profile has not been properly investigated. Herein we report a high throughput metabolomic screening, based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-travelling wave ion mobility spectrometry quadrupole time-of-flight (UHPLC-TWINS-QTOF), which was performed for the first time on different R. usambarensis plant parts. By applying high-resolution mass spectrometry-based metabolomics and chemometric analysis, a complete discrimination of different aerial parts was obtained, with the annotation of 153 significant metabolites in leaves, stems, and flowers, suggesting an easy authentication and discrimination route. Phytochemical data were correlated to antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Flavonoids, benzopyranes, chromones, and xanthones derivatives, along with a richer phytocomplex, might be responsible for the stronger bioactivities obtained from flowers.

Phylogeny and mycotoxin profiles of pathogenic Alternaria and Curvularia species isolated from date palm in southern Tunisia

Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.), is a widely cultivated crop across North Africa, with about 300 thousand tons of fruits produced per year, in Tunisia. A wide range of fungal pathogens has been associated with leaf spots of date palm, Alternaria species being the most frequently reported. Symptomatic leaves of Deglet Nour variety were randomly collected in six localities in Tunisia. We used a polyphasic approach to identify 45 Alternaria and five Curvularia strains isolated from date palm, confirming their pathogenicity. Sequencing of allergen Alt-a1, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (gpd) and calmodulin genes allowed us to group 35 strains in Alternaria Section, and 10 strains in Ulocladioides section. Based on sequencing analyses of Internal Transcribed Spacer, gpd and elongation factor genomic regions, all Curvularia strains were identified as Curvularia spicifera. All Alternaria and Curvularia species tested on date palm plantlets proved to be pathogenic, fulfilling Koch’s postulates. Although no significant differences were observed among the species, the highest mean disease severity index was observed in A. arborescens, while the lowest corresponded to C. spicifera. The capability of these strains to produce mycotoxins in vitro was evaluated. None of the A. consortialis strains produced any known Alternaria mycotoxin, whereas more than 80% of the strains included in Alternaria section Alternaria produced variable amounts of multiple mycotoxins such as alternariol, alternariol monomethyl ether, altenuene, tenuazonic acid and tentoxin. Curvularia spicifera strains produced detectable traces of fumonisins B. This work reports a first comprehensive multidisciplinary study of mycotoxigenic Alternaria species and C. spicifera associated with leaf spot disease on date palm.

Ion mobility-mass spectrometry to extend analytical performance in the determination of ergot alkaloids in cereal samples

This work evaluates the potential of ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) to improve the analytical performance of current liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) workflows applied to the determination of ergot alkaloids (EAs) in cereal samples. Collision cross section (CCS) values for EA epimers are reported for the first time to contribute to their unambiguous identification. Additionally, CCS values have been inter-laboratory cross-validated and compared with CCS values predicted by machine-learning models. Slight differences were observed in terms of CCS values for ergotamine, ergosine and ergocristine and their corresponding epimers (from 3.3 to 4%), being sufficient to achieve a satisfactory peak-to-peak resolution for their unequivocal identification. A LC-travelling wave ion mobility (TWIM)-MS method has been developed for the analysis of EAs in barley and wheat samples. Signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) was improved between 2.5 and 4-fold compared to the analog LC-TOF-MS method. The quality of the extracted ion chromatograms was also improved by using IMS.

An Erwinia amylovora inducible promoter for improvement of apple fire blight resistance

pPPO16, the first Ea-inducible promoter cloned from apple, can be a useful component of intragenic strategies to create fire blight resistant apple genotypes. Intragenesis is an important alternative to transgenesis to produce modified plants containing native DNA only. A key point to develop such a strategy is the availability of regulatory sequences controlling the expression of the gene of interest. With the aim of finding apple gene promoters either inducible by the fire blight pathogen Erwinia amylovora (Ea) or moderately constitutive, we focused on polyphenoloxidase genes (PPO). These genes encode oxidative enzymes involved in many physiological processes and have been previously shown to be upregulated during the Ea infection process. We found ten PPO and two PPO-like sequences in the apple genome and characterized the promoters of MdPPO16 (pPPO16) and MdKFDV02 PPO-like (pKFDV02) for their potential as Ea-inducible and low-constitutive regulatory sequences, respectively. Expression levels of reporter genes fused to these promoters and transiently or stably expressed in apple were quantified after various treatments. Unlike pKFDV02 which displayed a variable activity, pPPO16 allowed a fast and strong expression of transgenes in apple following Ea infection in a Type 3 Secretion System dependent manner. Altogether our results does not confirmed pKFDV02 as a constitutive and weak promoter whereas pPPO16, the first Ea-inducible promoter cloned from apple, can be a useful component of intragenic strategies to create fire blight resistant apple genotypes.

Assessing food authenticity through protein and metabolic markers

This chapter aims to address an issue of ancient origins, but more and more topical in a globalized world in which consumers and stakeholders are increasingly aware: the authenticity of food. Foods are systems that can also be very complex, and verifying the correspondence between what is declared and the actual characteristics of the product is often a challenging issue. The complexity of the question we want to answer (is the food authentic?) means that the answer is equally articulated and makes use of many different analytical techniques. This chapter will consider the chemical analyses of foods aimed at guaranteeing their authenticity and will focus on frontier methods that have been developed in recent years to address the need to respond to ever-increasing guarantees of authenticity. Targeted and non-targeted approaches will be considered for verifying the authenticity of foods, through the study of different classes of constituents (proteins, metabolites, lipids, flavors). The numerous approaches available (proteomics, metabolomics, lipidomics) and the related analytical techniques (LC-MS, GC-MS, NMR) are first described from a more general point of view, after which their specific application for the purposes of authentication of food is addressed.

A molecular insight into the lipid changes of pig Longissimus thoracis muscle following dietary supplementation with functional ingredients

In this work, the Longissimus thoracis pig skeletal muscle was used as a model to investigate the impact of two different diets, supplemented with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids from extruded linseed (L) and polyphenols from grape skin and oregano extracts (L+P), on the lipidomic profile of meat. A standard diet for growing-finishing pigs (CTRL) was used as a control. Changes in lipids profile were investigated through an untargeted lipidomics and transcriptomics combined investigation. The lipidomics identified 1507 compounds, with 195 compounds fitting with the MS/MS spectra of LipidBlast database. When compared with the CTRL group, the L+P diet significantly increased 15 glycerophospholipids and 8 sphingolipids, while the L diet determined a marked up-accumulation of glycerolipids. According to the correlations outlined between discriminant lipids and genes, the L diet may act preventing adipogenesis and the related inflammation processes, while the L+P diet promoted the expression of genes involved in lipids' biosynthesis and adipogenic extracellular matrix formation and functioning.

Mass Spectrometry Imaging Disclosed Spatial Distribution of Defense-Related Metabolites in Triticum spp

Fusarium Head Blight is the most common fungal disease that strongly affects Triticum spp., reducing crop yield and leading to the accumulation of toxic metabolites. Several studies have investigated the plant metabolic response to counteract mycotoxins accumulation. However, information on the precise location where the defense mechanism is taking place is scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the specific tissue distribution of defense metabolites in two Triticum species and use this information to postulate on the metabolites' functional role, unlocking the "location-to-function" paradigm. To address this challenge, transversal cross-sections were obtained from the middle of the grains. They were analyzed using an atmospheric-pressure (AP) SMALDI MSI source (AP-SMALDI5 AF, TransMIT GmbH, Giessen, Germany) coupled to a Q Exactive HF (Thermo Fisher Scientific GmbH, Bremen, Germany) orbital trapping mass spectrometer. Our result revealed the capability of (AP)-SMALDI MSI instrumentation to finely investigate the spatial distribution of wheat defense metabolites, such as hydroxycinnamic acid amides, oxylipins, linoleic and α-linoleic acids, galactolipids, and glycerolipids.

Risk Assessment of RYR Food Supplements: Perception vs. Reality

Thirty-seven red yeast rice (RYR) food supplements were screened for their mycotoxin and natural statin content. Products included pure RYR capsules and multi-ingredient formulations with standardized amounts of monacolin K (MK), marketed both online and retail in the European Union. In terms of mycotoxins, citrinin (CIT) was found in all the monitored products. As CIT content ranged from 100 to 25100 μg/kg, only four products were compliant with maximum EU levels in force until April 2020, while a single product was compliant with the limit of 100 μg/kg introduced after that date. Four contaminated products were labeled as "citrinin free". In terms of natural statins, nine products had a lower content vs. label statements (from -30 to -83%), while for 24 a larger MK amount (from 10 to 266%) was noticed. Three products had a negligible MK content and only 19 offered a daily dosage exceeding 10 mg as dictated by the health claim granted by EFSA in the EU. No sample had label values compliant with pharmaceutical Good Manufacturing Practices requirements (95-105% content of active constituent). Variable, but small amounts of simvastatin (0.1-7.5 μg per daily dose) were found in 30 samples. These results suggest that limited efficacy and reported safety issues may stem from an under-regulated and undercontrolled market, weakening both effectiveness and risk assessment evaluations.

5-n-Alkylresorcinol Profiles in Different Cultivars of Einkorn, Emmer, Spelt, Common Wheat, and Tritordeum

5-n-Alkylresorcinols (AR) are bioactive compounds found in the edible parts of many cereals. Here, saturated and unsaturated homologues, including the oxidized forms 5-(2'-oxo) AR and their plant metabolites, were profiled by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-ion mobility separation-high-resolution mass spectrometry in 18 cultivars of einkorn, emmer, spelt, common wheat, and tritordeum, cultivated in two consecutive years under uniform agronomic conditions. The average content of AR ranged between 672.5 ± 129.8 and 1408.9 ± 528.0 mg/kg, exceeding 2380 mg/kg in some samples and highlighting a superior content in tritordeum and in modern cultivars with respect to old wheat genotypes. By evaluating the effect of environmental and agronomic factors on the different variables, the harvest year resulted to be always significant, while location and variety influenced AR abundance only for some homologues. Furthermore, the spatial distribution of AR was investigated by mass spectrometry imaging using transversal cross sections of wheat kernels. Our results show that AR homologues are mainly localized in the testa and in the outer pericarp of wheat kernels.

Glucosinolate Bioactivation by Apis mellifera Workers and Its Impact on Nosema ceranae Infection at the Colony Level

The microsporidian fungus Nosema ceranae represents one of the primary bee infection threats worldwide and the antibiotic fumagillin is the only registered product for nosemosis disease control, while few alternatives are, at present, available. Natural bioactive compounds deriving from the glucosinolate–myrosinase system (GSL–MYR) in Brassicaceae plants, mainly isothiocyanates (ITCs), are known for their antimicrobial activity against numerous pathogens and for their health-protective effects in humans. This work explored the use of Brassica nigra and Eruca sativa defatted seed meal (DSM) GSL-containing diets against natural Nosema infection in Apis mellifera colonies. DSM patties from each plant species were obtained by adding DSMs to sugar candy at the concentration of 4% (w/w). The feeding was administered in May to mildly N. ceranae-infected honey bee colonies for four weeks at the dose of 250 g/week. In the treated groups, no significant effects on colony development and bee mortality were observed compared to the negative controls. The N. ceranae abundance showed a slight but significant decrease. Furthermore, the GSL metabolism in bees was investigated, and MYR hydrolytic activity was qualitatively searched in isolated bee midgut and hindgut. Interestingly, MYR activity was detected both in the bees fed DSMs and in the control group where the bees did not receive DSMs. In parallel, ITCs were found in gut tissues from the bees treated with DSMs, corroborating the presence of a MYR-like enzyme capable of hydrolyzing ingested GSLs. On the other hand, GSLs and other GSL hydrolysis products other than ITCs, such as nitriles, were found in honey produced by the treated bees, potentially increasing the health value of the final product for human consumption. The results are indicative of a specific effect on the N. ceranae infection in managed honey bee colonies depending on the GSL activation within the target organ.

Lipid Signaling Modulates the Response to Fumonisin Contamination and Its Source, Fusarium verticillioides, in Maize

Fumonisin-contaminated maize (Zea mays L.) products are a major health concern because of their toxic effects in humans and animals. Breeding maize for increased mycotoxin resistance is one of the key sustainable strategies for mitigating the effects of fumonisin contamination. Recent studies suggest a link between fumonisin accumulation and plant lipid and oxylipin profiles. However, the data collected so far do not reveal a cause-and-effect relationship. In this study, to decipher the multifactorial nature of mycotoxin resistance and plant-pathogen interaction mechanisms, we examined the oxylipin and complex lipid profiles of two maize hybrids (H21 and H22, the latter showing significantly lower FBs content) grown in the open field in two locations over 3years. Untargeted ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time-of-flight (UHPLC-Q-TOF), together with chemometrics analysis, successfully distinguished between the two hybrids as having low- and high-level fumonisin contamination. Considering that H21 and H22 were exposed to the same environmental factors, the higher activation of lipid signaling systems in H22 suggests that other routes are enabled in the less susceptible hybrids to limit fumonisin B (FB) accumulation. Our results highlighted the crucial role played by oxylipin and sphingolipid signaling in modulating the complex maize response to F. verticillioides infection. Overall, our results returned a global view on the changes in lipid metabolites related to fumonisin accumulation under open field conditions, and revealed a strong activation of the lipid signaling cascade in maize in the presence of FB₁.

Postprandial blood glucose and insulin responses to breads formulated with different wheat evolutionary populations (Triticum aestivum L.): A randomized controlled trial on healthy subjects

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of breads made with two different wheat evolutionary populations (EPs), compared with a modern variety, on postprandial blood glucose and insulin responses. A randomized controlled crossover postprandial study involving 12 healthy subjects was conducted. Seven non-commercial breads produced with flours from two different bread wheat (T. aestivum L.) EPs (Bio2, ICARDA) and a modern bread wheat variety (Bologna) were considered controls, with two different bread-making processes (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and sourdough), and were specifically formulated for the study. Postprandial incremental curves, incremental area under the curve (IAUC), maximum postprandial peaks for blood glucose and plasma insulin over 2 h after administration of isoglucidic portions of breads (50 g of available carbohydrates) were evaluated. The comparison of incremental curves, IAUC, and maximum postprandial peaks after consumption of breads formulated with EPs and control breads showed no differences among samples. Neither the flour nor the leavening technic used for the baking were effective in inducing a different postprandial response compared with the Bologna variety. EPs, being characterized by higher degree of crop genetic diversity, may have a relevant agronomic role to guarantee good and stable yields and quality under low input management in a changing climate; however, future studies are needed to better investigate their potential positive effect on human health.

Mycotoxin Uptake in Wheat - Eavesdropping Fusarium Presence for Priming Plant Defenses or a Trojan Horse to Weaken Them?

Fusarium mycotoxins represent a major threat for cereal crops and food safety. While previous investigations have described plant biotransforming properties on mycotoxins or metabolic relapses of fungal infections in plants, so far, the potential consequences of radical exposure in healthy crops are mostly unknown. Therefore, we aimed at evaluating whether the exposure to mycotoxins, deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEN), at the plant-soil interface may be considered a form of biotic stress capable of inducing priming or a potential initiation of fungal attack. To address this, we used atmospheric-pressure scanning microprobe matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging to investigate the activation or the inhibition of specific biosynthetic pathways and in situ localization of primary and secondary metabolites in wheat. According to our untargeted metabolomics investigation, the translocation of plant defense metabolites (i.e., hydroxycinnamic acid amide and flavones) follows the mycotoxin accumulation organs, which is the root for ZEN-treated plantlet and culm for DON-treated sample, suggesting a local "defense-on-demand response." Therefore, it can be hypothesized that DON and ZEN are involved in the eavesdropping of Fusarium presence in soil and that wheat response based on secondary metabolites may operate on multiple organs with a potential interplay that involves masked mycotoxins.

Phylogeny and Mycotoxin Profile of Pathogenic Fusarium Species Isolated from Sudden Decline Syndrome and Leaf Wilt Symptoms on Date Palms (Phoenix dactylifera) in Tunisia

In 2017–2018, extensive symptoms of sudden decline and fruit rot were observed on date palms in southern Tunisia. Samples of diseased plants were randomly collected in six localities. Based on morphological identification, Fusarium was the most frequent fungal genus detected. A sequencing of translation elongation factor, calmodulin, and second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II genes was used to identify 63 representative Fusarium strains at species level and investigate their phylogenetic relationships. The main species detected was Fusarium proliferatum, and at a much lesser extent, Fusarium brachygibbosum, Fusarium caatingaense, Fusarium clavum, Fusarium incarnatum, and Fusarium solani. Pathogenicity on the Deglet Nour variety plantlets and the capability to produce mycotoxins were also assessed. All Fusarium species were pathogenic complying Koch’s postulates. Fusarium proliferatum strains produced mainly fumonisins (FBs), beauvericin (BEA), and, to a lesser extent, enniatins (ENNs) and moniliformin (MON). All F. brachygibbosum strains produced low levels of BEA, diacetoxyscirpenol, and neosolaniol; two strains produced also T-2 toxin, and a single strain produced HT-2 toxin. Fusarium caatingaense, F. clavum, F. incarnatum produced only BEA. Fusarium solani strains produced MON, BEA, and ENNs. This work reports for the first time a comprehensive multidisciplinary study of Fusarium species on date palms, concerning both phytopathological and food safety issues.

Unveiling the spatial distribution of aflatoxin B1 and plant defense metabolites in maize using AP-SMALDI mass spectrometry imaging

In order to cope with the presence of unfavorable compounds, plants can biotransform xenobiotics, translocate both parent compounds and metabolites, and perform compartmentation and segregation at the cellular or tissue level. Such a scenario also applies to mycotoxins, fungal secondary metabolites with a pre-eminent role in plant infection. In this work, we aimed to describe the effect of the interplay between Zea mays (maize) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) at the tissue and organ level. To address this challenge, we used atmospheric pressure scanning microprobe matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (AP-SMALDI MSI) to investigate the biotransformation, localization and subsequent effects of AFB1 on primary and secondary metabolism of healthy maize plants, both in situ and from a metabolomics standpoint. High spatial resolution (5 µm) provided fine localization of AFB1, which was located within the root intercellular spaces, and co-localized with its phase-I metabolite aflatoxin M2. We provided a parallel visualization of maize metabolic changes, induced in different organs and tissues by an accumulation of AFB1. According to our untargeted metabolomics investigation, anthocyanin biosynthesis and chlorophyll metabolism in roots are most affected. The biosynthesis of these metabolites appears to be inhibited by AFB1 accumulation. On the other hand, metabolites found in above-ground organs suggest that the presence of AFB1 may also activate the biochemical response in the absence of an actual fungal infection; indeed, several plant secondary metabolites known for their antimicrobial or antioxidant activities were localized in the outer tissues, such as phenylpropanoids, benzoxazinoids, phytohormones and lipids.

Thinking Out of the Box: On the Ability of Zea mays L. to Biotrasform Aflatoxin B1 Into Its Modified Forms

While aflatoxin metabolism in animals has been clarified, very limited information is so far available on the possible biotransformation occurring in plants. Therefore, this work aimed at investigating whether AFB1 metabolites could occur in field-grown infected maize and the putative role of Zea mays L. metabolism in their production. For such scope, asymptomatic in vitro-grown plantlets and in silico evaluations of plant transforming enzymes were used to pinpoint how plants may handle these compounds. Our data demonstrated the role of maize plants in the production of Phase I hydroxylated aflatoxins, including, among others, AFM1, AFM2, and aflatoxicol, and suggest that plant cytochromes may be involved in this biotransformation of AFB1.

A Workflow for the Identification of Mycotoxin Metabolites Using Liquid Chromatography-Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry

The structural identification of phase-I and phase-II metabolites of mycotoxins is a difficult task, mostly due to the lack of standards and because of the large number of isomeric forms. Here, we describe the use of ion mobility-mass spectrometry to analyze cereal extracts and how structural information on newly discovered mycotoxins metabolites could be obtained.

Metabolomic Changes after Coffee Consumption: New Paths on the Block

SCOPE

Several studies suggest that regular coffee consumption may help preventing chronic diseases, but the impact of daily intake and the contribution of coffee metabolites in disease prevention are still unclear. The present study aims at evaluating whether and how different patterns of coffee intake (one cup of espresso coffee/day, three cups of espresso coffee/day, and one cup of espresso coffee/day and two cocoa-based products containing coffee two times per day) may impact endogenous molecular pathways.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A three-arm, randomized, crossover trial is performed in 21 healthy volunteers who consumed each treatment for one month. Urine samples are collected to perform untargeted metabolomics based on UHPLC-IMS-HRMS. A total of 153 discriminant metabolites are identified. Several molecular features are associated with coffee consumption, while others are linked with different metabolic pathways, such as phenylalanine, tyrosine, energy metabolism, steroid hormone biosynthesis, and arginine biosynthesis and metabolism.

CONCLUSION

This information has provided new insights into the metabolic routes by which coffee and coffee-related metabolites may exert effects on human health.

Travelling Wave Ion Mobility-Derived Collision Cross Section for Mycotoxins: Investigating Interlaboratory and Interplatform Reproducibility

Parent and modified mycotoxin analysis remains a challenge because of their chemical diversity, the presence of isomeric forms, and the lack of analytical standards. The creation and application of a collision cross section (CCS) database for mycotoxins may bring new opportunities to overcome these analytical challenges. However, it is still an open question whether common CCS databases can be used independently from the instrument type and ion mobility mass spectrometry (IM-MS) technologies, which utilize different methodologies for determining the gas-phase mobility. Here, we demonstrated the reproducibility of CCS measurements for mycotoxins in an interlaboratory study (average RSD 0.14% ± 0.079) and across different traveling wave IM-MS (TWIMS) systems commercially available (ΔCCS% < 2). The separation in the drift time dimension of critical pairs of isomers for modified mycotoxins was also achieved. In addition, the comparison of measured and predicted CCS values, including regulated and emerging mycotoxins, was addressed.

The Metabolic Reprogramming Induced by Sub-Optimal Nutritional and Light Inputs in Soilless Cultivated Green and Red Butterhead Lettuce

Sub-optimal growing conditions have a major effect on plants; therefore, large efforts are devoted to maximizing the availability of agricultural inputs to crops. To increase the sustainable use of non-renewable inputs, attention is currently given to the study of plants under non-optimal conditions. In this work, we investigated the impact of sub-optimal macrocations availability and light intensity in two lettuce varieties that differ for the accumulation of secondary metabolites (i.e., 'Red Salanova' and 'Green Salanova'). Photosynthesis-related measurements and untargeted metabolomics were used to identify responses and pathways involved in stress resilience. The pigmented ('Red') and the non-pigmented ('Green Salanova') lettuce exhibited distinctive responses to sub-optimal conditions. The cultivar specific metabolomic signatures comprised a broad modulation of metabolism, including secondary metabolites, phytohormones, and membrane lipids signaling cascade. Several stress-related metabolites were altered by either treatment, including polyamines (and other nitrogen-containing compounds), phenylpropanoids, and lipids. The metabolomics and physiological response to macrocations availability and light intensity also implies that the effects of low-input sustainable farming systems should be evaluated considering a range of cultivar-specific positive and disadvantageous metabolic effects in addition to yield and other socio-economic parameters.

The Strength of the Nutrient Solution Modulates the Functional Profile of Hydroponically Grown Lettuce in a Genotype-Dependent Manner

Considering that functional components of plant foods are mainly secondary-metabolism products, we investigated the shaping of health-promoting compounds in hydroponically grown butterhead lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. capitata) as a function of the strength of the nutrient solution utilized. To this aim, untargeted metabolomics profiling, in vitro antioxidant capacity (total phenolics, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS), cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays), and the inhibition of selected enzyme activities were investigated in two butterhead lettuce cultivars with different pigmentation, i.e., green and red Salanova. Full-strength nutrition, together with half- and quarter-strength solutions of macronutrients, was tested. Our results indicate that by reducing the nutrients strength, we could elicit a distinctive shaping of the phenolic profile of lettuce. It is noteworthy that only specific classes of phenolics (namely, lignans and phenolic acids, followed by flavones and anthocyanins) were modulated by the induction of nutritional eustress (fold-change values in the range between -5 and +11). This indicates that specific responses, rather than a generalized induction of phenolic compounds, could be observed. Nonetheless, a genotype-dependent response could be observed, with the red cultivar being much more responsive to nutritional deprivation than the green Salanova lettuce. Indeed, analysis of variance (ANOVA) confirmed a genotype x nutrition interaction in red Salanova (p < 0.001). As a consequence of the changes in phenolic composition, also the antioxidant capacity (p < 0.001) and amylase inhibition (p < 0.001) properties were affected by the growing conditions. However, the effect on cholinesterase and tyrosinase inhibition was poorly affected by the nutritional strength. Provided that yields are not compromised, the application of a controlled nutritional eustress in hydroponically cultivated lettuce may represent a valuable strategy to produce food with tailored functional features in a sustainable manner.

Investigating the in vitro catabolic fate of Enniatin B in a human gastrointestinal and colonic model

Enniatin B is an emerging mycotoxin known to present biological activity because of its ionophoric characteristics. This compound has demonstrated strong in vitro cytotoxicity against different cancer cells, also at low molecular concentrations. Its natural occurrence in food commodities and feed is highly reported world-wide, but few information is available about its stability in the human gastro-intestinal tract. The present work evaluates the catabolic fate of enniatin B upon in vitro simulated digestion and colonic fermentation. LC-MS target and untargeted analysis have been performed to quantify the extent of enniatin B degradation and the formation of catabolic products. The results obtained showed significant degradation of enniatin B (degradation rate 79 ± 5%) along the gastrointestinal tract and further degradation of residual enniatin B was observed during colonic fermentation after 24 h of incubation. Moreover, 5 catabolic metabolites of enniatin B were putatively identified after gastrointestinal digestion resulting from the oxidation and opening of the depsipeptide ring. As a final step, the pharmacokinetic properties of enniatin B degradation products were tested in silico revealing that some of them may be adsorbed at the gastrointestinal level more than the parent compound. Additionally, the smaller degradation products showed moderate blood-brain-barrier crossing.

Exploiting the potential of micropropagated durum wheat organs as modified mycotoxin biofactories: The case of deoxynivalenol

This study aimed to investigate the potential of in vitro wheat model as biofactory for masked mycotoxin production. Micropropagated durum wheat organs (leaves and roots) were treated during a 14-day time span on a proper medium spiked with deoxynivalenol (DON). After the treatment, DON absorption from culture media was evaluated while roots and leaves were profiled by UHPLC-HRMS to investigate the DON biotransformation products. A total of 10 metabolites have been annotated in both roots and leaves. In particular, 5 phase I metabolites never reported before were putatively identified, suggesting the viability of the model as a tool to investigate the interplay between mycotoxins and wheat. In addition, 5 phase II metabolites previously reported in wheat grown under open field conditions, were identified in both roots and leaves, thus demonstrating the reliability of the cultured organs as model system for wheat plants. An organ-dependent difference in DON uptake and biotransformation was observed, since roots contained a high amount of untransformed DON, while leaves were able to effectively biotransform DON to its glycosylated form and other relevant metabolites. With the perspective of using cultured organs as biofactories for modified mycotoxin production, leaves seemed therefore to offer the best absorption and production yield.

Plant biotransformation of T2 and HT2 toxin in cultured organs of Triticum durum Desf

The present study aimed at elucidating the uptake and biotransformation of T2 and HT2 toxins in five cultivars of durum wheat, by means of cultured plant organs. An almost complete absorption of T2 toxin (up to 100 µg) was noticed after 7 days, along with the contemporaneous formation of HT2 in planta, whereas HT2 showed a slower uptake by uninfected plant organs. Untargeted MS-analysis allowed to identify a large spectrum of phase I and phase II metabolites, resulting in 26 T2 and 23 HT2 metabolites plus tentative isomers. A novel masked mycotoxin, 3-acetyl-HT2-glucoside, was reported for the first time in wheat. The in vitro approach confirmed its potential to both investigate the contribution of plant metabolism in the biosynthesis of masked mycotoxins and to foresee the development of biocatalytic tools to develop nature-like mixtures to be used as reference materials.

Botanical Sources, Chemistry, Analysis, and Biological Activity of Furanocoumarins of Pharmaceutical Interest

The aim of this work is to provide a critical review of plant furanocoumarins from different points of view, including their chemistry and biosynthetic pathways to their extraction, analysis, and synthesis, to the main biological activities found for these active compounds, in order to highlight their potential within pharmaceutical science. The limits and the possible improvements needed for research involving these molecules are also highlighted and discussed.

Lipids as Key Markers in Maize Response to Fumonisin Accumulation

The present field study offers new insights into the role played by plant lipid pathways in the modulation of fumonisin accumulation in maize. Untargeted metabolomics was applied to better understand the multifactorial plant-pathogen-interaction mechanisms, including host resistance. Our results showed a significant influence from the hybrid genotype and the environmental growing conditions on fumonisin accumulation. A total of 25 significant metabolites have been identified, with glycerophospholipid and linoleic acid metabolism as the main pathways affected by the plant-pathogen interactions. This evidence highlighted the crucial role played by lipid signaling as an integrated part of the complex regulatory network in plants.

HIPM Is a Susceptibility Gene of Malus spp.: Reduced Expression Reduces Susceptibility to Erwinia amylovora

Fire blight, a devastating disease caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora, is a major threat to apple crop production. To improve our understanding of the fire blight disease and to identify potential strategies to control the pathogen, we studied the apple protein HIPM (for HrpN-interacting protein from Malus spp.), which has previously been identified as interacting with the E. amylovora effector protein HrpN. Transgenic apple plants were generated with reduced HIPM expression, using an RNA interference construct, and were subsequently analyzed for susceptibility to E. amylovora infection. Lines exhibiting a greater than 50% silencing of HIPM expression showed a significant decrease in susceptibility to E. amylovora infection. Indeed, a correlation between HIPM expression and E. amylovora infection was identified, demonstrating the crucial role of HIPM during fire blight disease progression. Furthermore, an apple oxygen-evolving enhancer-like protein (MdOEE) was identified via a yeast two-hybrid screen to interact with HIPM. This result was confirmed with bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays and leads to new hypotheses concerning the response mechanism of the plant to E. amylovora as well as the mechanism of infection of the bacterium. These results suggest that MdOEE and, particularly, HIPM are promising targets for further investigations toward the genetic improvement of apple.

Transverse flap duodenoplasty (TFD): a new technique in autologous bowel reconstructive surgery

BACKGROUND

Bowel dilatation is a common adaptive mechanism after intestinal resection. The symptomatic dilated dysmotile duodenum is difficult to manage, since conventional bowel tailoring and lengthening techniques are potentially hazardous because of the anatomy of the duodenal blood supply, the proximity to the pancreas, and the risk of injury to the common bile duct.

METHODS

A 2-month-old child with short bowel and a symptomatic massively dilated duodenum was treated with a Transverse Flap Duodenoplasty (TFD). The duodenum was opened longitudinally along its antimesenteric border preserving an intact strip of tissue overlying the pancreatic head. Three full thickness vascularized pedicle flaps were cut on both the anterior and posterior walls and were spirally rotated and sutured to create a uniform propulsive duodenum without diverticulae.

RESULTS

Healing was complicated by a soft anastomotic duodeno-ileal stenosis that resolved after three elective balloon dilatations. Oral feeding established rapidly. The child is growing, does not vomit, and passes 1-2 semiformed motions daily.

CONCLUSIONS

TFD is a safe and versatile technique that preserves all duodenal absorptive mucosa and that removes any risk to the pancreas, bile duct, and ampulla of Vater. Our experience, although limited, has been encouraging and leads us to suggest TFD for the management of the difficult symptomatic dysmotile dilated duodenum.

Zearalenone Uptake and Biotransformation in Micropropagated Triticum durum Desf. Plants: A Xenobolomic Approach

A model was set up to elucidate the uptake, translocation, and metabolic fate of zearalenone (ZEN) in durum wheat. After treatment with ZEN, roots and shoots were profiled with LC-HRMS. A comprehensive description of in planta ZEN biotransformation and a biotechnological evaluation of the model were obtained. Up to 200 μg ZEN were removed by each plantlet after 14 days. Most ZEN and its masked forms were retained in roots, while minimal amounts were detected in leaves. Sixty-two chromatographic peaks were obtained, resulting in 7 putative phase I and 18 putative phase II metabolites. ZEN16Glc and ZEN14Glc were most abundant in roots, sulfo-conjugates and zearalenol derivatives were unable to gain systemic distribution, while distinct isomers of malonyl conjugates were found in leaves and roots. This study underlines the potential ZEN occurrence in plants without an ongoing Fusarium infection. Micropropagation may represent a tool to investigate the interplay between mycotoxins and wheat.

Ion mobility-derived collision cross section database: Application to mycotoxin analysis

The recent hyphenation of ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) with high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) has risen as a powerful technique for both targeted and non-targeted screening, reducing background noise and allowing separation of isomeric and isobaric compounds. Nevertheless, such an approach remains largely unexplored in food safety applications, such as mycotoxin analysis. To implement ion mobility in routinely MS-based mycotoxin workflows, searchable databases with collusion cross section (CCS) values and accurate mass-values are required. This paper provides for the first time a traveling-wave IMS (TWIMS)-derived CCS database for mycotoxins, including more than 100 CCS values. The measurements showed high reproducibility (RSD < 2%) across different instrumental conditions as well as several complex cereal matrices, showing a mean inter-matrix precision of RSD <0.9%. As a proof of concept, the database was applied to the analysis of several spiked as well as naturally incurred cereal-based samples. In addition, the effect of adducts on the drift time was studied in a series of mycotoxins in order to understand potential deviations from expected drift time behaviors. Overall, our study confirmed that CCS values represent a physicochemical property that can be used alongside the traditional molecular identifiers of precursor ion accurate mass, fragment ions, isotopic pattern, and retention time.