Risk assessment of mycotoxin intake through the consumption of Spanish breadcrumbs / Evaluación del riesgo de ingesta de micotoxinas a través del consumo de pan rallado español

In this work, 80 commercial samples of breadcrumbs, purchased from different supermarkets located in Valencia (Spain), were investigated for the presence of 11 legislated mycotoxins. Only 9 samples evidenced the presence of the legislated mycotoxins. The compounds detected were: ochratoxin A (OTA), zearalenone (ZEA), T-2 toxin (T-2) and HT-2 toxin (HT-2). The incidence of OTA was of 3.75% with concentrations ranging from 1.50 to 6.75 µg/kg. One sample showed a contamination level higher than the maximum legislated in Europe for OTA. Three samples were contaminated with ZEA at concentrations varying from 64.32 to 449.21 µg/kg; all values were higher than the maximum allowed by the legislation. T-2 and HT-2 were detected in two (18.25- 2700.48 µg/kg) and one (147.79 µg/kg) of the 80 samples, respectively. Finally, the estimated dietary intakes (EDIs) of the detected mycotoxins, among the Valencian population, were calculated and the health risk assessment was performed. The calculated EDIs were all below the established tolerable daily intake values (TDI)

En este trabajo, 80 muestras comerciales de pan rallado, compradas en diferentes supermercados ubicados en Valencia (España), fueron investigadas por la presencia de 11 micotoxinas legisladas. Sólo 9 muestras evidenciaron la presencia de las micotoxinas legisladas. Los compuestos detectados fueron: ocratoxina A (OTA), zearalenona (ZEA), toxina T-2 (T-2) y toxina HT-2 (HT-2). La incidencia de OTA fue de 3.75% con concentraciones que van desde 1.50 a 6.75 µg / kg. Una muestra mostró un nivel de contaminación más alto que el máximo legislado en Europa para OTA. Tres muestras se contaminaron con ZEA en concentraciones que variaban de 64.32 a 449.21 µg / kg; todos los valores fueron superiores al máximo permitido por la legislación. T-2 y HT-2 se detectaron en dos (18.25-2700,48 µg / kg) y una (147.79 µg / kg) de las 80 muestras, respectivamente. Finalmente, se calcularon las ingestas dietéticas estimadas (EDI) de las micotoxinas detectadas, entre la población valenciana, y se realizó la evaluación del riesgo para la salud. Los EDI calculados estaban todos por debajo de los valores de ingesta diaria tolerable (TDI) establecidos

Hidden dangers in the kitchen: common foods toxic to dogs and cats.

Many foods and food additives that are safe for human consumption can be extremely toxic to pets. Recognizing the clinical signs and clinicopathologic changes associated with these toxins allows prompt initiation of appropriate therapy. As with many other toxins, decontamination and supportive care are the mainstays of therapy for food toxicosis. Educating owners about foods and food additives that are unsafe for dogs and cats can help prevent toxicosis.

Characterization of coloured compounds obtained by enzymatic extraction of bakery products.

Melanoidins, the brown-colored polymers formed through Maillard type reaction in several heat-treated foods, represent a significant part of our diet, with an average intake of grams per day. Most of the studies on the physiological effects of these compounds have been performed using the water soluble melanoidin fractions. But dietary melanoidins formed on the surface of bakery products are poorly soluble in water as well as in organic solvents. In this work, an enzymatic solubilization procedure was developed on a gluten-glucose model system and it was applied to bread and biscuits. The soluble material obtained was tested for its antioxidant activity, for its effect on phase-I and phase-II xenobiotic enzymes and for potential cytotoxic effects. Soluble melanoidins from model system and biscuits exhibit a strong antioxidant activity and do not show any cytotoxicity on Caco-2 cells. Melanoidins extracted from biscuits was able to inhibit the activity of Phase I (NADPH-cytochrome-c reductase) and Phase II (Glutathione-S-transferase) enzymes, whereas the low molecular weight melanoidins isolated from gluten-glucose model system inhibit the activity of NADPH-cytochrome-c reductase.

Determinación y cuantificación de bromato de potasio en harina, mejoradores de masa y estimulación en panes / Determination and cuantification of bromate of potassium in flour, improvemment mass and to estimate in bread

Demostrar la presencia del KBrO3 tanto en harinas como en mejoradores de masas para la elaboración del pan, a pesar de ser una sustancia considerada mutagénica, genotóxicas y carcinogénica y cuyo uso esta prohibido en muchos paises del mundo, sin embargo, en nuestro país, no existe ninguna norma que regule su uso , por la tanto, el presente trabajo pretende de alguna manera contribuir a una posible normalización futura sobre el uso de este aditivo a nivel nacional en la industria de la purificación. Se analizaron 20 muestras de diferentes tipos de harinas, 20 tipos de mejoradores y 20 muestras de panes de 20 unidades cada uno, expendidas en las diferentes panaderias de Lima Metropolitana y alrededores. En el 95 por ciento de mejoradores se determinó y cuantificó la presencia de KBrO3 y se hizo una continuación del contenido que podría aportar en la elaboración del pan, hallándose un contenido de 243 ppm como promedio de KBrO3. En el 75 por ciento de harinas analizadas, se encontró KBrO3 como acelerante de la maduración lo que daría un aporte cuando el pan es elaborado con esto de 29.66 ppm como promedio. El pan es elaborado con 272.66 ppm de KBrO3, lo cual daría un contenido promedio de 109.526 ppm de KBrO3 residual.

[Chemical and toxicologic studies of native corn in flour and bread]. / Chemische und toxikologische Untersuchungen über Mutterkorn in Mehl und Brot.

During the bread-baking process, total alkaloid content is reduced by about 50%, the pharmacologically active alkaloids (the '-in' types) being reduced to a much greater extent than the less active type ('-inin' type). Using ergotamin and ergokryptin as a basis, total alkaloid levels were calculated from the HPLC data; these results were in a good agreement with the total alkaloid content calculated from 13 individual ergot alkaloids. The changes in the alkaloid spectrum caused by pelletin are shown. In feeding experiments with growing, pregnant, and lactating mice, diets with 0%, 1% and 2% unbaked (MM) or baked (MB) rye ergot were compared for possible toxic effects on reproduction, using animals fed ad libitum or pair-fed controls. A mean ingestion of 3.6 mg of alkaloids/kg body weight per day (MM 2%) was maternally toxic and caused inhibition of conception and implantation. Feeding with 1.3 or 1.6 mg of alkaloids/kg body weight per day (MM 1% and MB 2%) during pregnancy had no significant toxic effect on the embryo or fetus, but resulted in gestation time being prolonged to about 10 h. During lactation, an intake of 2.9 and 3.0 mg of alkaloids/kg body weight per day (MM 1% and MB 2%) led to a considerable reduction in growth (up to 50%) in the young mice compared to the control animals fed ad libitum. Both the determination of total ergot alkaloid content and the feeding experiment indicate that the bread-baking process causes a reduction and consequently a detoxification of ergot alkaloids of about 50%.

Intoxication by tremorgenic mycotoxin (penitrem A) in a dog.

A 1-year-old Siberian Husky dog presented with severe muscle tremors after ingestion of a mouldy hamburger bun. Penicillium crustosum and the tremorgenic mycotoxin penitrem A were isolated from the remaining portion of the hamburger bun. When grown in pure culture, the isolate of P. crustosum produced large amounts of penitrem A, along with other penitrem compounds. This is the first reported Australian case of toxicosis by naturally occurring penitrem A.

A study on the toxicity of spontaneously molded bread.

Molds of geni Penicillium, Aspergillus and Paecilomyces were found in spontaneously molded Finnish bread. Patulin was detected in 91% of 23 samples analysed in concentrations ranging from 27 to 138 microgram/kg. The toxin was found in dark bread in higher amounts than in white. Neither aflatoxins (12 samples) nor ochratoxin A (10 samples) were detected. Penicillic acid was found in one of five samples. No significant changes were found in the haemoglobin or leucocyte counts of rats kept on feed containing extracts of the molded bread. Extracts from bread contaminated with A niger were more toxic and less palatable than extracts from the other samples. The feeding test indicated a relatively low toxicity of molded bread.