Food contaminants mycotoxins

In terms of chemical food contamination, mycotoxins undoubtedly represent the most monitored group of pollutants, but many bacterial pathogens that produce diseases similarly have the ability... 

Penicillium spp. produce a wide range of mycotoxins, of which patulin (an unsaturated lactone) is common as a possible food contaminant. The species of this genus disseminate efficiently by the production of airborne conidia. 

Nowadays HPLC is widely used for analytical determination of a large number of food contaminants. A number of recent works well review HPLC determination of major food contaminants such as mycotoxins [640-643], antimicrobial residues [644-646], residues of growth promoters [647], pesticide residues [648-651], and nitrosamines [652-654]. 

Immunotechniques have recently been developed to detect food contaminants, e.g., toxins, growth hormone, antibiotics, pesticides, and herbicides. Penicillin (62) in milk, aflatoxins and mycotoxins (63, 64, 65) in milk, cheeses, yogurt, corn have been detected by immunosensors. Characteristics of protein and receptors in or on the cell surface were used in detecting pathogens such as Listeria and Salmonella by immunosensors (11, 66). The principle of immunosensors has also been applied in pesticide determinations (67, 68). 

Bt corn can improve human and animal health by reducing contamination of food by mycotoxins, which are toxic chemicals produced by fungi (Wu 200 >). This is possible because Bt corn reduces insect damage that promotes fungal growth. 

The majority of toxicants in foods are contaminants, (e.g., microbial toxins, pesticide residues, leachable chemicals from packaging materials, food coatings, traces of heavy metals). However, the major issue in food safety is the contamination of food by mycotoxins in items such as milk and milk products, meat and meat products, and peanuts (groundnuts). Aflatoxin is highly toxic and lethal, and its carcinogenic potential is well established, even at doses as low as 0.05. ig. Mycotoxins also infect food products like rice, pulses, tapioca, and betelnuts. (Table 10-2). 

Chu FS Mycotoxins Food contamination, mechanism, carcinogenic potential and preventive measures. Mutat Res 1991 259 291-306. 

Lethality due to ingestion of food contaminated by trichothecenes has been reported in horses (Rodricks and Eppley, 1974), cattle (Hsu et al, 1972), and humans (Joffe, 1974). General clinical signs include emesis, food refusal and weight loss, dermal effects, and immune suppression with secondary infection. Clinical signs are dependent on the specific trichothecene involved, the dose, species, route of exposure, as well as the nature of the exposure. Spontaneous and experimental exposures may give somewhat different results, as can exposure to field contaminated materials, when compared to purified toxin. In the case of field contamination or experimental use of crude extracts, multiple mycotoxins, both known and unknown, may be present at the same time. 

The main route of human exposure is ingestion of foods contaminated with mycotoxins. Skin exposure to and inhalation of moldy materials may also be significant sources of exposure in some populations. 

It is essential that FF-RMs are as similar as possible to the real samples as also holds true for other CRMs, e.g. environmental samples [7], This is often not possible due to very complex and delicate food and feed matrices especially as CRMs must show stability over a certain range of time. In food safety and quality, CRMs play an important role in the analysis of e.g. food microbial contamination, food contaminants such as mycotoxins, dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and food residues such as veterinary drug residues (hormones, antibiotics) and pesticides. CRMs for food quality control are important for analysis of food constituents such as fat, sugar and protein content or of typical indicators for the food origin (e.g. stable isotopes in wine). In addition, FF-RMs are used in proficiency testing, although most of this testing is done with non-certified assay materials (PTMs). 

Abstract The mycotoxins are biological pollutants. They are toxic metabolites produced by several fungi in foods and feeds. They are probably the best known and most intensively examined mycotoxins in the world. Contamination of foods with mycotoxines can be also object of bioterrorism. 

Thus, protection against food contamination with mycotoxins will be more effective for pnblic health in the underdeveloped countries and deserves appropriate attention. Pood indnstry should play a leading role in this respect as this will enhance the economic stability of the industry, will make foods and drinks safer, will intensify international trade and improve public health (Vlahov 2006). 

The analysis of food contaminants, in particular any toxic or biologically active residue, is important for public health or quality control reasons.19 Examples are mycotoxins (aflatoxins) and pesticide and drug residues. Sample preparation is typically elaborate and might involve deproteinization, solvent extraction, and clean-up via solid-phase extraction (SPE).The use of highly sensitive and specific LC/MS/MS is increasing and has simplified some of the sample preparation procedures. 

This definition of food contaminants encompasses a very broad range of chemical substances, many of which are covered by other articles in this Encyclopedia, particularly natural toxins, mycotoxins, pesticides, antibiotics, and metals (both individually and collectively). Consequently, this article will give an overview of chemical contaminants in foods, dealing particularly with agrochemical and veterinary drug... 

The growing concerns regarding food safety have made the analysis of food contaminants an area of intense development in recent years, with a focus on chromatographic techniques, where LC has an essential role. The number of possible food contaminants grows without limit, including mycotoxins, antibiotic residues, and other potentially dangerous chemicals. 

The contamination of food by the intentional use of chemicals, such as pesticides or veterinary drugs, is a worldwide public health concern. However, food contamination due to natural toxicants, such as mycotoxins, can also compromise the safety of food and feed supplies and adversely affect health (WHO/FAO, 2001) in humans and animals [9],... 

Genosensors enable one to improve the detection of food contaminants, reducing the health risks and medical costs associated with food-borne illness. Some of the contaminants that can be found in food are bacteria, virus, parasites, seafood toxins, mycotoxins, pesticides, toxic metals, veterinary drug residues, undesirable fermentation products, and so on [3]. 

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of fungi, belonging essentially to the Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium genera, that can be found as food contaminants. These products are responsible for many different... 

This chapter is divided into seven main sections. The first of these sections is focused on technological contaminants, namely heterocyclic amines, acrylamide, furan, chloropropanok and their fatty acid esters, polycycKc aromatic hydrocarbons, monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, nitroso compounds, and ethyl carbamate. Other sections deal with microbial toxins (mycotoxins and bacterial toxins), persistent organohalogen contaminants (such as polychlorinated biphenyls, dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans), chlorinated ahphatic hydrocarbons, pesticides (persistent chlorinated hydrocarbons and modem pesticides), veterinary medicines and contaminants from packaging materials. Presented for each of these contaminants are structures, properties, occurrence and the main sources of dietary intake, mechanisms of formation, possibilities of food contamination, prevention and mitigation and health and toxicological evaluations. 

Physical methods A specific feature of contamination of agricultural crops with mycotoxin is the extreme homogeneity of their distribution. Concentrations of mycotoxins in infected grains or seeds may reach as high as tens of mg/kg. For this reason, an effective measure to reduce the risk of food contamination is... 

Product specifications for microbial food enzymes have been estabUshed by JECEA and ECC. They limit or prescribe the absence of certain ubiquitous contaminants such as arsenic, heavy metals, lead, coliforms, E. coli and Salmonella. Furthermore, they prescribe the absence of antibacterial activity and, for fungal enzymes only, mycotoxins. 

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