Omics in the detection and identification of biosynthetic pathways related to mycotoxin synthesis.

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites that are known to be toxic to humans and animals. On the other hand, some mycotoxins and their analogues possess antioxidant as well as antitumor properties, which could be relevant in the fields of pharmaceutical analysis and food research. Omics techniques are a group of analytical tools applied in the biological sciences in order to study genes (genomics), mRNA (transcriptomics), proteins (proteomics), and metabolites (metabolomics). Omics have become a vital tool in the field of mycotoxins, especially contributing to the identification of biomarkers with potential use for the detection of mycotoxigenic species and the gathering of information about the biosynthetic pathways of mycotoxins in different environments. This approach has provided tools for the development of prevention strategies and control measures for different mycotoxins. Additionally, research has revealed important information about the impact of global warming and climate change on the prevalence of mycotoxin issues in society. In the context of foodomics, the aim is to apply omics techniques in order to ensure food safety. The objective of the present review is to determine the state of the art regarding the development of analytical techniques based on omics in the identification of biosynthetic pathways related to mycotoxin synthesis.

Panorama general de los organismos genéticamente modificados en Colombia y en el mundo: Capacidad nacional de detección / Overview of genetically modified organisms in Colombia and worldwide: National detection capabilities

RESUMEN Los organismos genéticamente modificados (OGM) y en particular los cultivos genéticamente modificados (GM), son el resultado de la modificación de la información genética de una especie a partir del uso de la biotecnología moderna para proporcionar nuevas características que su contraparte no modificada no posee, tales como resistencia a insectos, tolerancia a herbicidas, contenido de nutrientes entre otros. La mayor parte de estos cultivos se concentran en cuatro productos: soya (Glycine max), maíz (Zea Mays), canola (Brassica napus) y algodón (Gossypium hirsutum); y los principales productores son Estados Unidos, Brasil, Argentina, India y Canadá. Por su parte, Colombia ocupa el puesto 18 con cultivos de maíz, algodón y claveles azules. La introd uc-ción de estas especies en cualquier mercado está limitada por la legislación propia del país destino, así como por los estudios que permiten establecer su efecto sobre el medio ambiente, la salud humana y animal; en este sentido, la precisión y confianza de las técnicas analíticas empleadas en la evaluación del contenido de OGM son un elemento importante para la toma de decisiones basadas en evidencias objetivas, especialmente frente al debate en torno a su uso. Este documento presenta una revisión de las tecnologías de análisis más importantes disponibles a nivel mundial, frente a las capacidades nacionales para su detección.

ABSTRACT Genetically modified organisms (GMO) and particularly genetically modified (GM) crops are the result of modifying the genetic information of a species through the use of modern biotechnology to provide new features that are nonexistent in the unmodified counterpart, such as resistance to insects, tolerance to herbicides, and nutrient content, among others. Most of these crops are concentrated in four products: soy (Glycine max), corn (Zea Mays), canola (Brassica napus) and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), with the United States, Brazil, Argentina, India and Canada as their main producers. Colombia, meanwhile, ranks 18th worldwide, with corn, cotton and blue carnation crops. The introduction of these species into any market is limited by the legislation of the destination country, as well as by studies that can establish the effect of the GM crop on the environment and human and animal health. For this reason, the accuracy and reliability of analytical techniques used to evaluate GMO content are important for decisionmaking based on objective evidence, especially in terms of the debate surrounding their use. Therefore, the following document presents a review of the most important GM crop analysis technologies in the world, vis a vis national detection capabilities.