A reproductive and developmental screening study of the fungal toxin ochratoxin A in Fischer rats.

The presence of the mycotoxin ochratoxin A (OTA) in cereal grains is due to the growth of toxigenic Penicillium mold on stored crops. Human exposure to OTA is higher in infants, toddlers, and children than in adolescents and adults, based on exposure assessments of ng OTA consumed/kg body weight/day. Ochratoxin A is nephrotoxic and teratogenic in animals, but its effects on juveniles exposed during the reproduction and development period have not been studied. To address this, Fischer rats were exposed to 0, 0.16, 0.4, 1.0, or 2.5 mg OTA/kg diet throughout breeding, gestation, and lactation and its adverse effects were assessed in adult rats and their offspring on postnatal day (PND) 21. There were no effects on implantation but post-implantation fetotoxicity was observed in the 2.5 mg/kg dose group, corresponding to a calculated dose of 167.0 µg/kg bw/day in dams. Adverse effects on body and kidney weights and on clinical parameters indicative of renal toxicity were significant in adult rats exposed to 1.0 mg OTA/kg diet (55.2 and 73.3 µg/kg bw/day in adult males and females, respectively) and in PND21 rats at the 0.4 mg/kg dose (33.9 µg/kg bw/day in dams), suggesting that weanling rats were more sensitive to OTA than adults. Overall, nephrotoxicity was the primary effect of OTA in weanling rats exposed throughout gestation and lactation at sub-fetotoxic concentrations in diet.

Multiresidue Method of Analysis of Pesticides in Medical Cannabis.

Three related analytical methods were developed and validated for the determination of pesticides in cannabis leaves, dried cannabis flowers, and cannabis oil. The methods follow the generic sequence of an acetonitrile extraction, followed by solid-phase extraction cleanup and analysis by HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS), GC-MS/MS, and GC-MS. These methods were developed to accommodate sample quantity and lipid content of the different matrices. Validation at a spiking level of 0.01 µg/g was successful for 39 pesticides in cannabis leaves and 40 pesticides in cannabis oil, and at 0.02 µg/g for 32 pesticides in cannabis flowers, with the majority of analytes showing recoveries within the acceptable range of 70-130%. With these methods established, unannounced inspections of Canadian licensed producers of cannabis revealed that out of 144 samples collected, 26 showed the presence of unauthorized pest control products.

Trans and saturated fat on food labels in Canada: fact or fiction?

OBJECTIVE: Food labels are the number one source for nutrition information for Canadians, but are food labels accurate? This study aims to provide an assessment of the accuracy of the reported trans fatty acid and saturated fatty acid values on food labels in selected foods. METHODS: Over 380 samples of cookies, crackers, granola bars, breakfast bars and a variety of frozen foods were collected between 2005 and 2008 in the Greater Toronto Area, Ottawa and Vancouver, as part of Health Canada's Trans Fat Monitoring Program. The food categories chosen were based on earlier studies indicating that they were significant sources of trans fatty acids and the individual samples were chosen based on market share data. The trans fatty acid and saturated fatty acid contents of the samples were determined by gas chromatography and the laboratory results were compared to the values reported in the Nutrition Facts tables. CONCLUSIONS: Statistical analysis indicated no significant difference between laboratory and food label values for cookies, crackers, granola bars, breakfast bars and frozen foods for trans fat or saturated fat. The results demonstrate that Canadians can rely on food labels for making informed dietary choices with respect to trans fat and saturated fat content.

Trans fatty acids: current contents in Canadian foods and estimated intake levels for the Canadian population.

Research conducted in the mid-1990s indicated that the levels of trans fats in Canadian diets were among the highest in the world. The consumption of trans fats raises blood levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, while reducing levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol. In June 2007, Health Canada called on the food industry to voluntarily reduce levels of trans fats in vegetable oils and soft (tub)-margarines to < 2% of total fat, and in all other foods, to < 5%. Industry must show satisfactory progress by June 2009, or Health Canada might have to introduce legislation to ensure that recommended limits are achieved. Since 2005, Health Canada has been performing a national assessment of prepackaged and restaurant foods that likely contain trans fats. From 2005 to 2009, 1120 samples were analyzed, of which 852 or approximately 76% met the recommended trans fat limits. As a result of reformulation, most of the products had decreased trans + saturated fat content. The estimated average intake of trans fatty acids (TFA) in Canada significantly dropped from the high value of 8.4 g/day in the mid-1990s to 3.4 g/day (or 1.4% food energy) in 2008. However, this TFA intake of 1.4% of energy is still above the World Health Organization recommended limit of TFA intake of < 1% of energy, which suggests that the Canadian food industry needs to put more effort into reducing the TFA content in its products, especially in tub-margarines, donuts, and bakery products.