Toxicodynamic of combined mycotoxins: MicroRNAs and acute-phase proteins as diagnostic biomarkers.

Mycotoxins, ubiquitous contaminants in food, present a global threat to human health and well-being. Mitigation efforts, such as the implementation of sound agricultural practices, thorough food processing, and the advancement of mycotoxin control technologies, have been instrumental in reducing mycotoxin exposure and associated toxicity. To comprehensively assess mycotoxins and their toxicodynamic implications, the deployment of effective and predictive strategies is imperative. Understanding the manner of action, transformation, and cumulative toxic effects of mycotoxins, moreover, their interactions with food matrices can be gleaned through gene expression and transcriptome analyses at cellular and molecular levels. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) govern the expression of target genes and enzymes that play pivotal roles in physiological, pathological, and toxicological responses, whereas acute phase proteins (APPs) exert regulatory control over the metabolism of therapeutic agents, both endogenously and posttranscriptionally. Consequently, this review aims to consolidate current knowledge concerning the regulatory role of miRNAs in the initiation of toxicological pathways by mycotoxins and explores the potential of APPs as biomarkers following mycotoxin exposure. The findings of this research highlight the potential utility of miRNAs and APPs as indicators for the detection and management of mycotoxins in food through biological processes. These markers offer promising avenues for enhancing the safety and quality of food products.

Mercury (Hg) concentration in fish commercialized in the São Luís fish market (MA) and potential exposure of consumers.

Fish consumption is the main path of human exposure to Hg and may represent a risk to public health, even with low Hg concentrations in fish, if consumption rates are high. This study quantifies, for the first time, the Hg concentrations in nine most commercialized species in the São Luís (MA) fish market, where fish consumption is high, and estimates human exposure. Average Hg concentrations were highest in carnivorous species, yellow hake (Cynoscion acoupa) (0.296 mg kg-1), the Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus) (0.263 mg kg-1), whereas lowest concentrations were recorded in iliophagous Mullets (Mugil curema) (0.021 mg kg-1) and the Shorthead drum Larimus breviceps (0.025 mg kg-1). Significant correlations were observed between Hg concentrations and fish length in two species: the Coco-Sea catfish (Bagre bagre) and the Atlantic bumper (Chloroscombrus crysurus), but not in the other species, since they presented relatively uniform size of individuals and/or a small number of samples. Risk coefficients, despite the relatively low Hg concentrations, suggest that consumers should limit their consumption of Yellow hake and Atlantic croaker, as they can present some risk to human health (EDI > RfD and THQ > 1), depending on the frequency of their consumption and the consumer's body weight.

Challenges and Future State for Mycotoxin Analysis: A Review From a Regulatory Perspective.

Mycotoxins are naturally occurring toxins produced by certain fungi. Exposure to mycotoxins may occur through the consumption of contaminated foods or from animals that are fed contaminated feed. To safeguard the nation's food supply, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) utilizes a comprehensive mycotoxin program which samples and analyzes foods for surveillance and compliance purposes, including enforcing action levels. Mycotoxin analysis is at the center of the mycotoxin program, as concentration data are needed for data analysis, scientific assessments, and risk management. This review focuses on the Agency's continuous efforts to develop and incorporate fit-for-purpose analytical tools for mycotoxin analysis with particular focus on the relationship between analytical methodologies and scientific assessments. The discussion further highlights challenges and advancements in analytical methods and discusses future possibilities to develop analytical tools and preventative risk management approaches to meet the evolving regulatory needs.

A poisonous cocktail: interplay of cereulide toxin and its structural isomers in emetic Bacillus cereus.

Food intoxications evoked by emetic Bacillus cereus strains constitute a serious threat to public health, leading to emesis and severe organ failure. The emetic peptide toxin cereulide, assembled by the non-ribosomal peptide synthetase CesNRPS, cannot be eradicated from contaminated food by usual hygienic measures due to its molecular size and structural stability. Next to cereulide, diverse chemical variants have been described recently that are produced concurrently with cereulide by CesNRPS. However, the contribution of these isocereulides to the actual toxicity of emetic B. cereus, which produces a cocktail of these toxins in a certain ratio, is still elusive. Since cereulide isoforms have already been detected in food remnants from foodborne outbreaks, we aimed to gain insights into the composition of isocereulides and their impact on the overall toxicity of emetic B. cereus. The amounts and ratios of cereulide and isocereulides were determined in B. cereus grown under standard laboratory conditions and in a contaminated sample of fried rice balls responsible for one of the most severe food outbreaks caused by emetic B. cereus in recent years. The ratios of variants were determined as robust, produced either under laboratory or natural, food-poisoning conditions. Examination of their actual toxicity in human epithelial HEp2-cells revealed that isocereulides A-N, although accounting for only 10% of the total cereulide toxins, were responsible for about 40% of the total cytotoxicity. An this despite the fact that some of the isocereulides were less cytotoxic than cereulide when tested individually for cytotoxicity. To estimate the additive, synergistic or antagonistic effects of the single variants, each cereulide variant was mixed with cereulide in a 1:9 and 1:1 binary blend, respectively, and tested on human cells. The results showed additive and synergistic impacts of single variants, highlighting the importance of including not only cereulide but also the isocereulides in routine food and clinical diagnostics to achieve a realistic toxicity evaluation of emetic B. cereus in contaminated food as well as in patient samples linked to foodborne outbreaks. Since the individual isoforms confer different cell toxicity both alone and in association with cereulide, further investigations are needed to fully understand their cocktail effect.

Comprehensive fluorescence profiles of contamination-prone foods applied to the design of microcontact-printed in situ functional oligonucleotide sensors.

With both foodborne illness and food spoilage detrimentally impacting human health and the economy, there is growing interest in the development of in situ sensors that offer real-time monitoring of food quality within enclosed food packages. While oligonucleotide-based fluorescent sensors have illustrated significant promise, the development of such on-food sensors requires consideration towards sensing-relevant fluorescence properties of target food products-information that has not yet been reported. To address this need, comprehensive fluorescence profiles for various contamination-prone food products are established in this study across several wavelengths and timepoints. The intensity of these food backgrounds is further contextualized to biomolecule-mediated sensing using overlaid fluorescent oligonucleotide arrays, which offer perspective towards the viability of distinct wavelengths and fluorophores for in situ food monitoring. Results show that biosensing in the Cyanine3 range is optimal for all tested foods, with the Cyanine5 range offering comparable performance with meat products specifically. Moreover, recognizing that mass fabrication of on-food sensors requires rapid and simple deposition of sensing agents onto packaging substrates, RNA-cleaving fluorescent nucleic acid probes are successfully deposited via microcontact printing for the first time. Direct incorporation onto food packaging yields cost-effective sensors with performance comparable to ones produced using conventional deposition strategies.

Rapid and simultaneous detection of five mycotoxins and their analogs with a gold nanoparticle-based multiplex immuno-strip sensor.

Mycotoxins, as secondary metabolites produced by fungi, have been the focus of researchers in various countries and are considered to be one of the major risk factors in agricultural products. There is an urgent need for a rapid, simple and high-performance method to detect residues of harmful mycotoxins in agricultural foods. We have developed a gold nanoparticle-based multiplexed immunochromatographic strip biosensor that can simultaneously detect fifteen mycotoxins in cereal samples. With this optimized procedure, five representative mycotoxins, deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEN), T-2 toxin (T-2), tenuazonic acid (TEA) and alternariol (AOH) were detected in the range of 0.91-4.77, 0.04-0.56, 0.11-0.68, 0.12-1.02 and 0.09-0.75 ng/mL, respectively. The accuracy and stability of these measurements were demonstrated by analysis of spiked samples with recoveries of 91.8%-115.3% and coefficients of variation <8.7%. In addition, commercially available samples of real cereals were tested using the strips and showed good agreement with the results verified by LC-MS/MS. Therefore, Our assembled ICA strips can be used for the simultaneous detection of 5 mycotoxins and their analogs (15 mycotoxins in total) in grain samples, and the results were consistent between different types of cereal foods, this multiplexed immunochromatographic strip biosensor can be used as an effective tool for the primary screening of mycotoxin residues in agricultural products.

The influence of pH on the efficacy of oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) to predict chlorine disinfection of surrogate bacteria, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes in oxidant demand free conditions and fresh produce wash water.

Oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) is commonly used as a rapid measurement of the antimicrobial potential of free chlorine during industrial fresh produce washing. The current study tested the hypothesis that ORP can act as a "single variable" measurement of bacterial (vegetative and endospores) inactivation effectiveness with free chlorine irrespective of the water pH value. This situation has on occasion been assumed but never confirmed nor disproven. Chlorine-dosed pH 6.5 and 8.5 phosphate buffer solutions were inoculated with Escherichia coli (E. coli), Listeria innocua (L. innocua), or Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) endospores. ORP, free chlorine (FC), and log reduction were monitored after 5 s (for E. coli and L. innocua) and up to 30 min (for B. subtilis spores) of disinfection. Logistic and exponential models were developed to describe how bacteria reduction varied as a function of ORP at different pH levels. Validation tests were performed in phosphate buffered pH 6.5 and 8.5 cabbage wash water periodically dosed with FC, cabbage extract and a cocktail of Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E. coli O157:H7) and Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes). The built logistic and exponential models confirmed that at equal ORP values, the inactivation of the surrogate strains was not consistent across pH 6.5 and pH 8.5, with higher reductions at higher pH. This is the opposite of the well-known free chlorine-controlled bacterial inactivation, where the antibacterial effect is higher at lower pH. The validation test results indicated that in the cabbage wash water, the relationship between disinfection efficiency and ORP was consistent with the oxidant demand free systems. The study suggests that ORP cannot serve as a reliable single variable measurement to predict bacterial disinfection in buffered systems. When using ORP to monitor and control the antibacterial effectiveness of the chlorinated wash water, it is crucial to take into account (and control) the pH.

Bacteriological evaluation and advanced SYBR-green multiplex real-time PCR assay for detection of minced meat adulteration.

Background: Minced meat is a valuable source of nutrients, but it is vulnerable to contamination by microorganisms commonly present in the environment. In addition, there is a risk of adulteration with cheaper meat sources, which can be harmful to consumers. Aim: It is crucial to identify meat adulteration with distinct microbiological analysis for legal, economic, religious, and public health purposes. Methods: A total of 100 minced meat samples were collected from several markets in Sharkia Governorate, Egypt. These samples were then subjected to bacteriological testing and an advanced multiplex PCR method. This method enables the detection of bovine, equine, porcine, and dog species in meat samples with just one step. Results: The adulterated samples had a higher total bacterial count and pH values compared to pure bovine meat. These differences in bacterial count and pH values were statistically significant, with p-values of 0.843 (log10) and 0.233, respectively. The frequency of Escherichia coli occurrence was 13%, and the O111 serotype was predominant in the adulterated samples. Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus were isolated with prevalence rates of 3% and 29%, respectively. Besides, the SYBR-green multiplex real-time PCR assay used in this study detected adulteration with dog, equine, and porcine meats in the examined samples at rates of 9%, 5%, and 4%, respectively. Conclusion: This method provides a sensitive and specific approach to detect issues related to well-being and safety.

Microbiological quality of gluten-free meals, naturally gluten free foods, and gluten free-labelled products.

Background: The rising prevalence of gluten-related disorders such as celiac disease explains the increased consumption of gluten-free foods (GFF). However, these foods must be safe in terms of both gluten content and contamination by pathogenic microorganisms in order to avoid food poisoning. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the microbiological quality of gluten-free meals, naturally gluten free foods, and gluten free-labelled products. Material and Methods: We collected 62 GFF samples including 20 meals (M-GF), 22 naturally gluten free (N-GFF) and 20 labelled (L-GFF) products, which were investigated for microbiological contamination according to Moroccan regulations guidelines, issued by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The analysis consisted of the detection of Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes in each sample, and the quantification of the microbial load of the following six micro-organisms: total aerobic mesophilic flora, total coliforms, fecal coliforms, Staphylococcus aureus, Sulphite-Reducing Anaerobic, and yeasts and molds. Results: A total of 372 analyses were carried out, showing a microbiological contamination rate of 5.1%. This contamination concerned N-GFF in 8.3% (predominantly with yeasts and molds), and meals prepared at home in 11.7 (predominantly with Staphylococcus aureus and coliforms). Only one case (0.8%) of contamination was observed in products labelled gluten-free and no contamination was noticed in meals prepared in food services. Listeria monocytgenes and Salmonella were not detected in any samples of food analyzed. These results indicate a good compliance of L-GFP and M-GF prepared in food services, while unsatisfactory quality was observed in N-GFF and M-GF prepared at home. Conclusion: Therefore, rigorous hygienic practices and adequate corrective measures should be considered by celiac patients, especially regarding the N-GFF and M-GF prepared at home.

Quantum dots as advanced nanomaterials for food quality and safety applications: A comprehensive review and future perspectives.

The importance of food quality and safety lies in ensuring the best product quality to meet consumer demands and public health. Advanced technologies play a crucial role in minimizing the risk of foodborne illnesses, contamination, drug residue, and other potential hazards in food. Significant materials and technological advancements have been made throughout the food supply chain. Among them, quantum dots (QDs), as a class of advanced nanomaterials with unique physicochemical properties, are progressively demonstrating their value in the field of food quality and safety. This review aims to explore cutting-edge research on the different applications of QDs in food quality and safety, including encapsulation of bioactive compounds, detection of food analytes, food preservation and packaging, and intelligent food freshness indicators. Moreover, the modification strategies and potential toxicities of diverse QDs are outlined, which can affect performance and hinder applications in the food industry. The findings suggested that QDs are mainly used in analyte detection and active/intelligent food packaging. Various food analytes can be detected using QD-based sensors, including heavy metal ions, pesticides, antibiotics, microorganisms, additives, and functional components. Moreover, QD incorporation aided in improving the antibacterial and antioxidant activities of film/coatings, resulting in extended shelf life for packaged food. Finally, the perspectives and critical challenges for the productivity, toxicity, and practical application of QDs are also summarized. By consolidating these essential aspects into this review, the way for developing high-performance QD-based nanomaterials is presented for researchers and food technologists to better capitalize upon this technology in food applications.

A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of Listeria monocytogenes prevalence in food products in South Korea.

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen that can cause deadly severe listeriosis. While systematic review and meta-analysis are powerful tools for comprehensive analysis by pooling every related study, these approaches to L.monocytogenes contamination food have yet to be studied in South Korea. We aimed to identify high-risk L.monocytogenes foods in South Korea through a prevalence survey of retail food products for the first time. A total of 13,684 samples of 59 articles were used for meta-analysis through the systematic review, and the results were synthesized using a random-effects model considering the heterogeneity. The overall pooled prevalence was 2.26 % (95 % CI: 1.44-3.52 %). Among nine food categories, meat exhibited the highest prevalence at 8.32 % (95 % CI: 4.42-12.14 %) after sample size restriction. Specifically, a post-hoc sensitivity analysis was conducted to identify the prevalence difference among subgroups and the source of heterogeneity. Intriguingly, the analysis revealed chicken as the primary contributor to the elevated prevalence of L.monocytogenes, a key factor deriving the observed heterogeneity. This study carries significant implications for public health and food safety in Korea. Furthermore, knowledge of differences in prevalence levels in various foods will be able to be used as a predictive guideline for foodborne outbreaks.

Progress and Challenge of Sensors for Dairy Food Safety Monitoring.

One of the most consumed foods is milk and milk products, and guaranteeing the suitability of these products is one of the major concerns in our society. This has led to the development of numerous sensors to enhance quality controls in the food chain. However, this is not a simple task, because it is necessary to establish the parameters to be analyzed and often, not only one compound is responsible for food contamination or degradation. To attempt to address this problem, a multiplex analysis together with a non-directed (e.g., general parameters such as pH) analysis are the most relevant alternatives to identifying the safety of dairy food. In recent years, the use of new technologies in the development of devices/platforms with optical or electrochemical signals has accelerated and intensified the pursuit of systems that provide a simple, rapid, cost-effective, and/or multiparametric response to the presence of contaminants, markers of various diseases, and/or indicators of safety levels. However, achieving the simultaneous determination of two or more analytes in situ, in a single measurement, and in real time, using only one working 'real sensor', remains one of the most daunting challenges, primarily due to the complexity of the sample matrix. To address these requirements, different approaches have been explored. The state of the art on food safety sensors will be summarized in this review including optical, electrochemical, and other sensor-based detection methods such as magnetoelastic or mass-based sensors.

Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles-Enhanced Microarray Technology for Highly Sensitive Simultaneous Detection of Multiplex Foodborne Pathogens.

Ensuring food safety is paramount for the food industry and global health concerns. In this study, we have developed a method for the detection of prevalent foodborne pathogenic bacteria, including Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Listeria spp., Shigella spp., Campylobacter spp., Clostridium spp., and Vibrio spp., utilizing antibody-aptamer arrays. To enhance the fluorescence signals on the microarray, the mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) conjugated with fluorescein, streptavidin, and seven detection antibodies-biotin were employed, forming fluorescein doped mesoporous silica nanoparticles conjugated with detection antibodies (MSNs-Flu-SA-Abs) complexes. The array pattern was designed for easy readability and enabled the simultaneous detection of all seven foodborne pathogens, referred to as the 7FP-biochip. Following the optimization of MSNs-Flu-SA-Abs complexes attachment and enhancement of the detection signal in fluorescent immunoassays, a high level of sensitivity was achieved. The detection limits for the seven pathogens in both buffer and food samples were 102 CFU/mL through visual screening, with fluorescent intensity quantification achieving levels as low as 20-34 CFU/g were achieved on the antibody-aptamer arrays. Our antibody-aptamer array offers several advantages, including significantly reduced nonspecific binding with no cross-reaction between bacteria. Importantly, our platform detection exhibited no cross-reactivity among the tested bacteria in this study. The multiplex detection of foodborne pathogens in canned tuna samples with spiked bacteria was successfully demonstrated in real food measurements. In conclusion, our study presents a promising method for detecting multiple foodborne pathogens simultaneously. With its high sensitivity and specificity, the developed antibody-aptamer array holds great potential for enhancing food safety and public health.

[Alternaria toxins in tomato products marketed in the Russian Federation].

Tomatoes and tomato products are widely produced and consumed throughout the world. Alternaria spp. are the main cause of alternariosis (black mold disease) on fresh tomatoes, both in the field and after harvesting. Alternaria toxins are widespread contaminants of tomato products. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the contamination of tomato processing products from the domestic market with Alternaria toxins, as well as to assess their intake by humans through the consumption of tomato juices. Material and methods. The content of Alternaria toxins (alternatiol, alternariol monomethyl ether, altenuene, tentoxin, tenuazonic acid) was determined in 64 samples of tomato products (paste, ketchup, juice) by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass-spectrometric detection (HPLC-MS/MS). Results. The priority Alternaria toxins for tomato paste, ketchup and juice were tenuazonic acid (61% of 64 samples, in amounts from 20.0 to 1065.5 µg/kg), altenuene (52%, 8.9-200.1 µg/kg) and alternariol (27%, 12.2-561.6 µg/kg). Samples of tomato paste turned out to be the most contaminated with Alternaria toxins while tomato juice samples were the least contaminated. At the same time, several toxins were found in 91% of tomato paste samples, 35% of ketchups, and 23% of tomato juices. Conclusion. To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first survey devoted to Alternaria toxins contamination of tomato paste, ketchup and tomato juice sold on the Russian market. The high frequency of their contamination with tenuazonic acid, altenuene and, to a lesser extent, alternariol has been established, which indicates a potential risk to human health when tomato processing products are consumed. This indicates the need for a hygienic assessment of contamination the above products with tenuazonic acid, altenuene and alternariol. When calculating the potential intake of Alternaria toxins for different age population groups, it was shown that high levels of alternariol (up to 56.77 ng/kg body weight per day) could be obtained under daily consumption of tomato juice by adults and children under three years of age, as well as tenuazonic acid when consuming tomato juice contaminated at the 95th percentile level as part of the diet in organized groups for orphans and children without parental care.

Machine Learning-Assisted Portable Microplasma Optical Emission Spectrometer for Food Safety Monitoring.

To meet the needs of food safety for simple, rapid, and low-cost analytical methods, a portable device based on a point discharge microplasma optical emission spectrometer (µPD-OES) was combined with machine learning to enable on-site food freshness evaluation and detection of adulteration. The device was integrated with two modular injection units (i.e., headspace solid-phase microextraction and headspace purge) for the examination of various samples. Aromas from meat and coffee were first introduced to the portable device. The aroma molecules were excited to specific atomic and molecular fragments at excited states by room temperature and atmospheric pressure microplasma due to their different atoms and molecular structures. Subsequently, different aromatic molecules obtained their own specific molecular and atomic emission spectra. With the help of machine learning, the portable device was successfully applied to the assessment of meat freshness with accuracies of 96.0, 98.7, and 94.7% for beef, pork, and chicken meat, respectively, through optical emission patterns of the aroma at different storage times. Furthermore, the developed procedures can identify beef samples containing different amounts of duck meat with an accuracy of 99.5% and classify two coffee species without errors, demonstrating the great potential of their application in the discrimination of food adulteration. The combination of machine learning and µPD-OES provides a simple, portable, and cost-effective strategy for food aroma analysis, potentially addressing field monitoring of food safety.

Prevalence of Bacillus cereus in food products in Poland.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Bacillus cereus is a foodborne pathogen causing two main types of gastrointestinal diseases: emetic and diarrheal. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of the Bacillus cereus group in ready-to-eat (RTE) food products available in retail in Poland. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Samples were collected by Sanitary and Epidemiological Stations within the framework of the national official control and monitoring sampling programme in Poland. In 2016-2020, a total of 45,358 food samples, such as: 'confectionery products and products with cream', as well as 'cereal grains and cereal and flour products', 'milk and milk products', 'sugar and others', 'meat offal and meat products', 'poultry offal and poultry products', 'eggs and egg products', 'fish, seafood and their preserves', 'vegetables' (including legumes), 'coffee, tea, cocoa, fruit, and herbal teas', 'delicatessen and culinary products', and 'foods for particular nutritional uses' were collected. RESULTS: The presence of the presumptive B. cereus group was monitored mainly in two categories of food products: 'confectionery products and products with uncooked cream' and 'confectionery products and products with heat-treated cream'. The number of samples disqualified due to presumptive B. cereus was 339 (0.75%). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides useful information regarding the contamination of RTE products with the B. cereus group, which may have implications for food safety.

Assessment of some chemical residues in Egyptian raw milk and traditional cheese.

Background: The assessment of risks related to food safety is becoming a challenge in developing countries with its consequent health hazards. Chemical risk assessment in dairy products is important to maintain consumer health locally and internationally. Since milk and dairy products are essential foods for a wide range of customers, mostly children, patients, and pregnant women, it is very important to estimate the risks of some chemical residues, such as pesticides, some heavy metals, and aflatoxins. Aim: This work aims to determine the levels of chemical contamination in milk and traditional Egyptian cheese. Methods: Heavy metals were determined in samples by atomic absorption spectrometry. GC-mass spectrometry (MS)/MS and LC-MS/MS were also used for measuring pesticide residues. The Aflatoxin M1 was determined by enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay. Results: Raw milk samples were tested and showed elevated concentrations of lead and cadmium, (46% and 4%, respectively). The heavy metals detected in the Egyptian cheese samples were variable depending on the type of cheese. Moreover, p.p.-DDE phenofose was present in 45% and 29% of raw milk and Ras cheese samples, respectively. For Aflatoxin M1, only 7% of milk samples and 2.9% of Ras cheese samples exceeded the acceptable limits. Conclusion: More surveying and risk assessment of chemical residues in milk and milk products are essential for controlling health risks to consumers.

Human health risk assessment based on a total diet study of daily mercury intake in Chengdu, China.

To assess the total daily mercury intake and main exposure sources of residents, six food groups, including marine fish, freshwater fish, poultry, livestock, vegetables, and cereals, were collected from five districts of Chengdu, China. The median concentrations of total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) were 12.8 and 6.94 µg kg-1 ww, respectively. Cereals (32.2%), vegetables (30.5%), and livestock (16.2%) contributed to a much larger extent to the total consumption for the participants in Chengdu. All food categories that contributed the most of THg (2.16 µg day-1) and MeHg 1.44 (µg day-1) to the daily intake in Chengdu were cereals and marine fish, respectively. The total Hazard Ratios values below 1 in this study indicate that there is no health risk associated with Hg ingestion from the consumption of these foods for the residents in Chengdu.

Predictive modeling of Salmonella spp. growth behavior in cooked and raw chicken samples: Real-time PCR quantification approach and model assessment in different handling scenarios.

The increasing prevalence of Salmonella contamination in poultry meat emphasizes the importance of suitable predictive microbiological models for estimating Salmonella growth behavior. This study was conducted to evaluate the potential of chicken juice as a model system to predict the behavior of Salmonella spp. in cooked and raw chicken products and to assess its ability to predict cross-contamination scenarios. A cocktail of four Salmonella serovars was inoculated into chicken juice, sliced chicken, ground chicken, and chicken patties, with subsequent incubation at 10, 15, 20, and 25°C for 39 h. The number of Salmonella spp. in each sample was determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Growth curves were fitted into the primary Baranyi and Roberts model to obtain growth parameters. Interactions between temperature and growth parameters were described using the secondary Ratkowsky's square root model. The predictive results generated by the chicken juice model were compared with those obtained from other chicken meat models. Furthermore, the parameters of the chicken juice model were used to predict Salmonella spp. numbers in six worst-case cross-contamination scenarios. Performance of the chicken juice model was evaluated using the acceptable prediction zone from -1.0 (fail-safe) to 0.5 (fail-dangerous) log. Chicken juice model accurately predicted all observed data points within the acceptable range, with the distribution of residuals being wider near the fail-safe zone (75%) than near the fail-dangerous zone (25%). This study offers valuable insights into a novel approach for modeling Salmonella growth in chicken meat products, with implications for food safety through the development of strategic interventions. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The findings of this study have important implications in the food industry, as chicken juice could be a useful tool for predicting Salmonella behavior in different chicken products and thus reducing the risk of foodborne illnesses through the development of strategic interventions. However, it is important to recognize that some modifications to the chicken juice model will be necessary to accurately mimic all real-life conditions, as multiple factors particularly those related to food processing can vary between different products.

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.