Heavy metal accumulation in and food safety of shark meat from Jeju island, Republic of Korea.

Shark meat is consumed as a food source worldwide, especially in Asian countries. However, since sharks are apex predators in the ocean food chain, they are prone to bioaccumulation of heavy metals. More than 100 million sharks are caught annually for human consumption, and the safety of shark meat cannot be overemphasized. Here, we examined heavy metal concentration in the muscle tissue of 6 shark species including 3 migratory species (Carcharhinus brachyurus, Carcharhinus obscurus, and Isurus oxyrinchus) and 3 local species (Triakis scyllium, Mustelus manazo, and Cephaloscyllium umbratile) from fish markets in Jeju Island, Republic of Korea. The concentrations of 11 heavy metals (Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Cd, Sn, Sb, Pb, and Hg) and MeHg were analyzed. The result showed that the average concentrations of all metals, except for that of As, were below the regulatory maximum limits of many organizations, including the Codex standard. Hg and MeHg were significantly correlated with body length, body weight, and age, and the concentration of Hg was expected to exceed the limit in C. brachyurus with a body length or weight of over 130 cm or 25 kg, respectively. Our results indicate that shark meat can expose consumers to a high level of As and that copper sharks bigger than the predicted size should be avoided for excessive Hg. Considering these findings, a detailed guideline on consumption of meat of different shark species should be suggested based on further investigation.

Efeito do fotoperíodo no crescimento, consumo alimentar e qualidade da carcaça de tilápias invertidas / Photoperiod effect on growth, feed intake and carcass quality reversed tilapia / Efecto de fotoperiodo en el crecimiento, consumo alimentar y calidad de caparazón de tilapias invertidas

A incidência luminosa pode induzir diversos efeitos sobre o crescimento, alimentação, desenvolvimento e reprodução de peixes. O fotoperíodo é sinal principal para maior influência sobre o ritmo circadiano dos peixes e pode afetar o ganho de peso, a ingestão de alimento e a utilização de energia. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos de diferentes regimes de fotoperíodo no crescimento, consumo alimentar e qualidade da carcaça de tilápias invertidas, em um sistema fechado. Foram utilizados 150 alevinos de tilápias invertidas, provenientes da estação de piscicultura. Os peixes foram acondicionados e distribuídos em 15 aquários com a capacidade de 65 litros cada um, em delineamento inteiramente ao acaso, com três tratamentos e cinco repetições. Os tratamentos diferenciarão nas simulações dos fotoperíodos emerais (horas de luz) que durarão T1= 24 horas de escuro, T2= 12 horas de escuro e 12 horas de Luz, T3= 24 horas de luz. Cada peixe foi considerado uma unidade experimental. Não houve diferença significativa para desempenho, mas houve diferença para Índice gonadossomático (IGS). Conclui-se que o fotoperíodo (12L:12E) promove melhor índice gonadossomático em tilápia. Para melhor qualidade de carcaça e desempenho produtivo sugere o fotoperíodo (24L:0E).

The light incidence can induce different effects on growth, feeding and development and reproduction of fish. The photoperiod is the main signal for greater influence on the circadian rhythm of the fish and can affect weight gain, feed intake and energy use. This study aimed to demonstrate the effects of different photoperiodic regimes on growth, feed intake and carcass tilapia quality reversed in a closed system. 150 were used fry reversed tilapia, from fish farming station. The fish were packed and distributed in 15 tanks with a capacity of 65 liters each, in a completely randomized design with three treatments and five repetitions. Treatments differentiate in the simulations of emerais photoperiod (light hours) that will last T1 = 24 hours dark, T2 = 12 hours of darkness and 12 hours light, T3 = 24 hours of light. Each fish was considered an experimental unit. There was no significant difference in performance, but there were differences for IGS. I conclude that the photoperiod (12L: 12D) promotes better GSI in tilapia. To better carcass quality and growth performance suggests the photoperiod (24L: 0D).

La incidencia de luz puede inducir diversos efectos sobre el crecimiento, alimentación, desarrollo y reproducción de peces. El fotoperiodo es la señal principal de una mayor influencia en el ritmo circadiano de los peces y puede afectar la ganancia de peso, la ingestión de alimento y el consumo de energía. El objetivo de esta investigación ha sido demostrar los efectos de diferentes regímenes de fotoperiodo sobre el crecimiento, consumo alimentar y calidad de caparazón de tilapias invertidas, en un sistema cerrado. Se utilizaron 150 alevines de tilapias invertidas, provenientes de la estación de piscicultura. Los peces fueron acondicionados y distribuidos en 15 tanques con una capacidad de 65 litros cada uno, en un diseño completamente al azar, con tres tratamientos y cinco repeticiones. Los tratamientos se diferencian en las simulaciones de fotoperiodos emerales (horas de luz) que durarán T1 = 24 horas de oscuridad, T2 = 12 horas de oscuridad y 12 horas de luz, T3 = 24 horas de luz. Cada pez fue considerado una unidad experimental. No hubo diferencia significativa en el rendimiento, pero hubo diferencia para el Índice Gonadosomático (IGS). Se concluye que el fotoperiodo (12L: 12D) promueve mejor GSI en tilapia. Para mejor calidad de caparazón y rendimiento de la producción se sugiere fotoperiodo (24L: 0E).

Poisonous birds: A timely review.

Until very recently, toxicity was not considered a trait observed in birds, but works published in the last two decades started to shed light on this subject. Poisonous birds are rare (or little studied), and comprise Pitohui and Ifrita birds from Papua New Guinea, the European quail, the Spoor-winged goose, the Hoopees, the North American Ruffed grouse, the Bronzewings, and the Red warbler. A hundred more species are considered unpalatable or malodorous to humans and other animals. The present review intends to present the current understanding of bird toxicity, possibly pointing to an ignored research field. Whenever possible, biochemical characteristics of these poisons and their effects on humans and other animals are discussed, along with historical aspects of poison discovery and evolutionary hypothesis regarding their function.

A 90-day toxicology study of meat from genetically modified sheep overexpressing TLR4 in Sprague-Dawley rats.

Genetic modification offers alternative strategies to traditional animal breeding. However, the food safety of genetically modified (GM) animals has attracted increasing levels of concern. In this study, we produced GM sheep overexpressing TLR4, and the transgene-positive offsprings (F1) were confirmed using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Southern blot. The expression of TLR4 was 2.5-fold compared with that of the wild-type (WT) sheep samples. During the 90-day safety study, Sprague-Dawley rats were fed with three different dietary concentrations (3.75%, 7.5%, and 15% wt/wt) of GM sheep meat, WT sheep meat or a commercial diet (CD). Blood samples from the rats were collected and analyzed for hematological and biochemical parameters, and then compared with hematological and biochemical reference ranges. Despite a few significant differences among the three groups in some parameters, all other values remained within the normal reference intervals and thus were not considered to be affected by the treatment. No adverse diet-related differences in body weights or relative organ weights were observed. Furthermore, no differences were observed in the gross necropsy findings or microscopic pathology of the rats whose diets contained the GM sheep meat compared with rats whose diets contained the WT sheep meat. Therefore, the present 90-day rat feeding study suggested that the meat of GM sheep overexpressing TLR4 had no adverse effect on Sprague-Dawley rats in comparison with WT sheep meat. These results provide valuable information regarding the safety assessment of meat derived from GM animals.

Association of roasting meat intake with the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma of Kazakh Chinese via affecting promoter methylation of p16 gene.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) incidence is high in Kazak Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang, China. Roasting food has been reported to be related with the risk of various cancers and is very popular in the area, and may be related with the risk of ESCC. The promoter methylation inactivation of p16 gene can increase the risk of ESCC. Thus, we want to know whether long-term roasting food is related with the risk of ESCC by effecting the promoter methylation of p16 gene. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety ESCC patients and 60 healthy subjects were recruited from Kazak Autonomous Prefecture. MassARRAY was used to detect p16 promoter methylation in ESCC tissues, as well as in normal esophageal tissues. The association between the p16 promoter methylation and daily roasting meat intake was examined. RESULTS: Daily roasting meat intake was related with the risk of ESCC (p<0.01) and the mean CpG methylation rates of p16 promoter (p<0.01). In ESCC patients, the mean methylation rates of CpG 11-12 and CpG 33-34-35 were 29.4% and 37.4%, respectively, which was significantly higher than the rates in normal esophageal tissues (16.7% and 12.4%, respectively; p<0.01). The methylation of p16 promoter is also related with daily roasting meat intake (p<0.01) in Kazakh Chinese with ESCC. For the CpG methylation of the p16 promoter in the well, moderately and poorly differentiated ESCC, there are significant differences (p<0.05) for the 19 CpG units in the ESCC and controls. CONCLUSION: Roasting meat intake was associated with the risk of ESCC via effects on the methylation of p16 promoter. These results suggest roasting food intake should be limited in the diet.

The cooked meat-derived mammary carcinogen 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) elicits estrogenic-like microRNA responses in breast cancer cells.

The cooking of meat results in the generation of heterocyclic amines (HCA), the most abundant of which is 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP). Data from epidemiological, mechanistic, and animal studies indicate that PhIP could be causally linked to breast cancer incidence. Besides the established DNA damaging and mutagenic activities of PhIP, the chemical is reported to have oestrogenic activity that could contribute to its tissue specific carcinogenicity. In this study we investigated the effect of treatment with PhIP and 17-ß-estradiol (E2) on global microRNA (miRNA) expression of the oestrogen responsive MCF-7 human breast adenocarcinoma cell line. PhIP and E2 caused widespread and largely over-lapping effects on miRNA expression, with many of the commonly affected miRNA reported to be regulated by oestrogen and have been implicated in the initiation and progression of breast cancer. The regulatory activity of the miRNAs we show here to be responsive to PhIP treatment, are also predicted to mediate cellular phenotypes that are associated with PhIP exposure. Consequently, this study offers further support to the ability of PhIP to induce widespread effects via activation of oestrogen receptor alpha (ERα). Moreover, this study indicates that deregulation of miRNA by PhIP could potentially be an important non-DNA-damaging carcinogenic mechanism in breast cancer.

Poisoning after ingestion of pufferfish in Brazil: report of 11 cases

In this brief communication the authors report eleven cases of human poisoning caused by ingestion of pufferfish meat. Three patients (two children and one adult) were seriously affected. The circumstances that precipitated the poisoning are discussed as well as the clinical aspects observed. No deaths were registered and the patients did not present sequelae after the episode.(AU)

Tissue deposition and residue depletion of melamine in fattening pigs following oral administration.

The adulteration of animal feed as well as milk products with melamine has led to concerns about the ability to establish appropriate withdrawal intervals to ensure food safety. Two experiments were conducted in this study. The first was to investigate the deposition and depletion of melamine in blood and tissues of pigs exposed to adulterated feed with high doses of melamine. A total of 500 or 1000 mg kg(-1) melamine was added to the diet for fattening pigs (initial BW = ±60.24 kg). Melamine residues were detected in tissues (brain, duodenum, liver, heart, muscle and kidney) by LC-MS/MS. Dose-dependent effects were found between melamine residual concentration and its dose in feed. Five days after the withdrawal of melamine from the diets, the residue concentration in tissues fell below 2.5 mg kg(-1). In the second experiment, blood samples were taken at different time points from fattening pigs (BW = 100 kg) fed with adulterated feed with 1000 mg kg(-1) of melamine for 42 days. Results from the pharmacokinetics analysis showed that it would take 83 h for the melamine level in plasma depleting to the safe level of 50 ng ml(-1) after an expose of 1000 mg kg(-1) melamine contaminated feed for 42 days.

Mycobiota and toxigenic Penicillium species on two Spanish dry-cured ham manufacturing plants.

The present study reports the natural mycobiota occurring in dry-cured hams, and in particular on the incidence of mycotoxin-producing fungi. A total of 338 fungal colonies were isolated from three stages of production, these being the post-salting, ripening and aging stages in two manufacturing plants. The results show that fungi were more frequently isolated from the aging stage and that the predominant filamentous fungal genus isolated was Penicillium. Seventy-four of the 338 fungal strains were selected for identification at the species level by using morphological criteria and internal transcribed spacers sequencing. Of the 74 fungal strains, 59 were Penicillium strains. Sixteen Penicillium species were identified, with P. commune (24 strains) and P. chrysogenum (13 strains) being the most abundant. The potential ability to produce cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) and ochratoxin A (OTA) was studied by isolating the culture followed by HPLC analysis of these mycotoxins in the culture extracts. The results indicated that 25 (33.7%) of the 74 fungal strains produced CPA. Worth noting is the high percentage of CPA-producing strains of P. commune (66.6%) of which some strains were highly toxigenic. P. polonicum strains were also highly toxigenic. With respect to OTA-producing fungi, a low percentage of fungal strains (9.5%) were able to produce OTA at moderate levels. OTA-producing fungi belonged to different Penicillium species including P. chrysogenum, P. commune, P. polonicum and P. verrucosum. These results indicate that there is a possible risk factor posed by CPA and OTA contamination of dry-cured hams.

Reducing Pb poisoning in birds and Pb exposure in game meat consumers: the dual benefit of effective Pb shot regulation.

The use of lead (Pb) ammunition in the form of shot pellets has been identified as a Pb exposure risk in wildlife and their human consumers. We explore the hypothesis that Pb shot ban enforcement reduces the risk of avian Pb poisoning as well as Pb exposure in game meat consumers. We assessed compliance with a partial ban on Pb shot commencing in 2003 by examination of 937 waterbirds harvested by hunters between 2007 and 2012 in the Ebro delta (Spain). Prevalence of Pb shot ingestion was determined, as were Pb concentrations in liver and muscle tissue to evaluate the potential for Pb exposure in game meat consumers. Hunted birds with only embedded Pb shot (no steel) declined from 26.9% in 2007-08 to <2% over the following three hunting seasons after ban reinforcement. Pb shot ingestion in mallards decreased from a pre-ban value of 30.2% to 15.5% in the post-ban period. Liver Pb levels were predominantly defined by the presence of ingested shot, whereas muscle levels were defined by the presence of both ingested and embedded shot. Only 2.5% of mallard muscle tissue had Pb levels above European Union regulations for meat (0.1µg/g wet weight) in the 2008-09 season, when Pb shot ingestion prevalence was also at a minimum (5.1%). Effective restrictions in Pb ammunition use have a dual benefit since this reduces Pb exposure for game meat consumers due to embedded ammunition as well as reducing Pb poisoning in waterbirds.

Calcium inhibits promotion by hot dog of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced mucin-depleted foci in rat colon.

Epidemiology suggests that processed meat is associated with colorectal cancer risk, but few experimental studies support this association. We have shown that a model of cured meat made in a pilot workshop promotes preneoplastic lesions, mucin-depleted foci (MDF) in the colon of rats. This study had two aims: to check if real store-bought processed meats also promote MDF, and to test if calcium carbonate, which suppresses heme-induced promotion, can suppress promotion by processed meat. A 14-day study was done to test the effect of nine purchased cured meats on fecal and urinary biomarkers associated with heme-induced carcinogenesis promotion. Fecal water from rats given hot dog or fermented raw dry sausage was particularly cytotoxic. These two cured meats were thus given to rats pretreated with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine, to evaluate their effect on colorectal carcinogenesis. After a 100-days feeding period, fecal apparent total N-nitroso compounds (ATNC) were assayed and colons were scored for MDF. Hot dog diet increased fecal ATNC and the number of MDF per colon compared with the no-meat control diet (3.0 ± 1.7 vs. 1.2 ± 1.4, p < 0.05). In a third study, addition of calcium carbonate (150 µmol/g) to the hot dog diet decreased the number of MDF/colon and fecal ATNC compared with the hot dog diet without calcium carbonate (1.2 ± 1.1 vs. 2.3 ± 1.4, respectively, p < 0.05). This is the first experimental evidence that a widely consumed processed meat promotes colon carcinogenesis in rats. It also shows that dietary prevention of this detrimental effect is possible.

Invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans): a potential human health threat for ciguatera fish poisoning in tropical waters.

Invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois volitans) have rapidly expanded in the Western Atlantic over the past decade and have had a significant negative impact on reef fish biodiversity, habitat, and community structure, with lionfish out-competing native predators for resources. In an effort to reduce this population explosion, lionfish have been promoted for human consumption in the greater Caribbean region. This study examined whether the geographical expansion of the lionfish into a known ciguatera-endemic region can pose a human health threat for ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP). More than 180 lionfish were collected from waters surrounding the US Virgin Islands throughout 2010 and 2011. Ciguatoxin testing included an in vitro neuroblastoma cytotoxicity assay for composite toxicity assessment of sodium-channel toxins combined with confirmatory liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. A 12% prevalence rate of ciguatoxic lionfish exceeding the FDA guidance level of 0.1 µg/kg C-CTX-1 equivalents was identified in fish from the U.S. Virgin Islands, highlighting a potential consumption risk in this region. This study presents the first evidence that the invasive lionfish, pose a direct human health risk for CFP and highlights the need for awareness and research on this food safety hazard in known endemic areas.

No long-term feeding toxicities on the health status in rats fed with cloned Korean native beef cattle (Hanwoo) meat.

This study was designed to undertake a risk assessment to identify the health status of rats fed with somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT)-cloned Korean native beef cattle (Hanwoo) meat for 26 weeks. The rats were randomly divided into 5 groups, each consisting of 12 male (142.6 ± 5.23 g) and 12 female (113.7 ± 6.31 g) rats each. The animals were fed commercial pellets (control), pellets containing 5% (N-5) and 10% (N-10) of normal cattle meat, and diets containing 5% (C-5) and 10% (C-10) of cloned cattle meat. The mortality; clinical signs; body weight; food consumption; urinary, hematology, blood biochemistry, and histopathological analyses; and absolute and relative organ weights were analyzed and compared. During the 26-week test period, health status-related factors of the rats fed on cloned Hanwoo meat were found to have no test substance-related toxicities. The only difference was the increased uterus weight in female C-10 rats as compared to their counterparts counterparts (p < .05). On the basis of these health status results, it can be postulated that no food consumption risks might arise from the long-term feeding of cloned cattle meat in rats.

How do you want your steak prepared? The impact of meat consumption and preparation on prostate cancer.

Numerous epidemiological studies have suggested dietary factors may alter the risk of prostate cancer. Punnen and colleagues have conducted a case-control study focused on aggressive prostate cancer (N = 982), where not only details on meat consumption were collected, but also meat preparation was captured. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to assess the association between meat consumption, grilled meat consumption, doneness level, mutagens and aggressive prostate cancer. High consumption of processed meat, including ground beef, was associated with aggressive prostate cancer. Ground beef showed the strongest association (overall risk, OR = 2.30, 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.39-3.81; P-trend = 0.002). Well-done meat conferred a higher risk of aggressive prostate cancer. Interestingly, the consumption of rare or less cooked meat was not associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. When the investigators evaluated the estimated meat mutagens produced by cooking at high temperatures, they identified an increased risk with MelQx and DiMelQx, OR = 1.69 95% CI: 1.08-2.64, P-trend = 0.02 and OR = 1.53 95% CI: 1.00-2.35, P-trend = 0.005, respectively.

Anaphylaxis to pork kidney is related to IgE antibodies specific for galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose.

BACKGROUND: Carbohydrate-specific IgE antibodies present on nonprimate mammalian proteins were incriminated recently in delayed meat anaphylaxis. The aim of this study was to explore whether anaphylaxis to mammalian kidney is also associated with galactose-α-1,3-galactose (αGal)-specific IgE. METHODS: Fourteen patients with anaphylaxis to pork or beef kidney underwent prick tests to meat and kidney. Some patients also underwent skin tests to Erbitux(®) (cetuximab). IgE antibodies to αGal, swine urine proteins, beef and pork meat, serum albumin proteins, cat, and rFel d 1 were measured by ImmunoCAP(®). The αGal levels were estimated in meats and kidney by ELISA inhibition assay. Cross-reactivity between αGal and pork kidney was studied with the ImmunoCAP(®) inhibition assay. RESULTS: Among the 14 patients, 12 presented with anaphylactic shock. Reactions occurred within 2 h from exposure in 67% of patients. Associated risk factors were observed in 10 cases, and alcohol was the main cofactor. Three patients underwent an oral challenge to pork kidney, and anaphylaxis occurred after ingestion of small quantities (1-2 g). Prick tests to kidney were positive in 54% of patients. All tested patients showed positive skin tests to Erbitux(®). All patients tested positive for IgE to αGal, with levels ranging from 0.4 to 294 kU/l. IgE binding to αGal was inhibited by raw pork kidney extract (mean, 77%; range, 55-87%), which showed a high amount of αGal determinants. CONCLUSIONS: Pork or beef kidney anaphylaxis is related to αGal IgE. Its peculiar severity could be due to an elevated content of αGal epitopes in kidney.

Inhibition by resistant starch of red meat-induced promutagenic adducts in mouse colon.

Population studies have shown that high red meat intake may increase colorectal cancer risk. Our aim was to examine the effect of different amounts and sources of dietary protein on induction of the promutagenic adduct O(6)-methyl-2-deoxyguanosine (O(6)MeG) in colonocytes, to relate these to markers of large bowel protein fermentation and ascertain whether increasing colonic carbohydrate fermentation modified these effects. Mice (n = 72) were fed 15% or 30% protein as casein or red meat or 30% protein with 10% high amylose maize starch as the source of resistant starch. Genetic damage in distal colonocytes was detected by immunohistochemical staining for O(6)MeG and apoptosis. Feces were collected for measurement of pH, ammonia, phenols, p-cresol, and short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). O(6)MeG and fecal p-cresol concentrations were significantly higher with red meat than with casein (P < 0.018), with adducts accumulating in cells at the crypt apex. DNA adducts (P < 0.01) and apoptosis (P < 0.001) were lower and protein fermentation products (fecal ammonia, P < 0.05; phenol, P < 0.0001) higher in mice fed resistant starch. Fecal SCFA levels were also higher in mice fed resistant starch (P < 0.0001). This is the first demonstration that high protein diets increase promutagenic adducts (O(6)MeG) in the colon and dietary protein type seems to be the critical factor. The delivery of fermentable carbohydrate to the colon (as resistant starch) seems to switch from fermentation of protein to that of carbohydrate and a reduction in adduct formation, supporting previous observations that dietary resistant starch opposes the mutagenic effects of dietary red meat.

A diet of somatic cell nuclear transfer cloned-cattle meat produced no toxic effects on behavioral or reproductive characteristics of F1 rats derived from dams fed on cloned-cattle meat.

BACKGROUND: The composition and nutritional value of meat and milk derived from cloned animals and their progeny has not been demonstrated to be different from normal animals, but possible food consumption risks that might arise from unidentified hazards remain. In this study, we investigated the effects of somatic cell nuclear transfer cloned-cattle meat diet on the behavioral and reproductive characteristics of F1 rats derived from dams that were also fed on cloned-cattle meat. METHODS AND RESULTS: F1 rats were divided into five diet groups with their dams: commercial pellets (control), pellets containing 5% (N-5) and 10% (N-10) of normal-cattle meat, and diets containing 5% (C-5) and 10% (C-10) of cloned-cattle meat. In most cases, the cloned-cattle meat diet did not affect body weight and food consumption in both male and female F1 rats during 11 weeks, except for significantly higher body weight in both N-5 and N-10 (3-5 weeks, p<0.05 or p<0.01) and significantly higher food consumption in the both normal- and cloned-cattle meat groups (7-9 weeks, p<0.05 or p<0.01), as compared with the controls, respectively. We detected no signs of test substance-related toxicities on organ weights and behavioral characteristics (sensory reflex, motor function, and spatial learning and memory tests). Reproductive functions did not significantly differ among all examined rats (mating, fertility, and implantation). CONCLUSIONS: These behavioral and reproductive toxicity results suggest that there are no obvious food safety concerns related to cloned-cattle meat in these parameters.