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Application of Novel Methods for Mycotoxins Analysis

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A special issue of Toxins (ISSN 2072-6651). This special issue belongs to the section "Mycotoxins".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2021) | Viewed by 26707

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Biancamaria Ciasca

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Guest Editor

Institute of Sciences of Food Production, National Research Council of Italy, Via Amendola, 122/O, 70126 Bari, Italy
Interests: development and standardization of methods for the analysis of mycotoxins and pesticides in food matrices based on mass spectrometry techniques and immunoassays; the development of targeted and untargeted approaches to plant metabolomics studies based on open-source workflow for data processing and interpretation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Veronica Maria Teresa Lattanzio

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Guest Editor

Institute of Sciences of Food Productions, National Research Council of Italy, Via Amendola 200/O, 70126 Bari, Italy
Interests: food safety; food safety policy; development and validation of analytical methods for mycotoxin detection based either on mass spectrometry techniques and immunoassays, including organization of collaborative trials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Crop contamination by mycotoxins is a global problem that poses significant economic burdens due to food/feed losses caused by reduced production rates; adverse effects on human and animal health and productivity; and trade losses associated with costs incurred by inspection, sampling, and analysis before and after shipments. Besides regulated mycotoxins, which are of major toxicological relevance, hundreds of mycotoxins and metabolites are listed as possibly (co)occurring contaminants in food/feed commodities.

Having available reliable, cost-effective, and eco-friendly analytical strategies for the characterization of the chemical structure, incidence, and toxicological effects of mycotoxins and relevant metabolites is essential to support food business operators as well as risk assessors in undertaking mycotoxin-related food safety issues. The varied nature and complexity of the food/feed matrix, different contamination levels, time and costs constraints, and matching available technologies with operator skills are some of the challenging aspects to deal with in method development.

Addressing the above-mentioned challenges, this Special Issue of Toxins focuses on the development and application of novel analytical methods for the detection of mycotoxins, and their transformation products in food and feed. The advantages, disadvantages, and key steps of each methodology shall be addressed as well as the inter-laboratory reproducibility of the proposed methodologies. Particular attention will be paid to the following:

-Multiple-mycotoxin detection approaches for the assessment of the risk of exposure to mycotoxin mixtures;

-Metabolomics and chemometric approaches to understanding biochemical mechanisms of host–pathogen interactions;

-Emerging validation issues with a focus on the standardization and harmonization of untargeted approaches and the use of quality control procedures;

-Rapid screening methodologies for fungal and/or mycotoxins contamination based on microchips;

-On-line, nondestructive technologies to be applied in food industry to measure, evaluate, and in-line sort mycotoxins and mycotoxigenic fungal contaminants;

-Novel materials for biosensing including antibodies, enzymes, molecular imprinted polymers, and aptamers;

-Eco-friendly approaches for mycotoxins detection.

Dr. Biancamaria Ciasca
Dr. Veronica Maria Teresa Lattanzio
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Toxins is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

mycotoxins
rapid methods
metabolomics
biosensors
method validation
green chemistry

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Other

2 pages, 206 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Introduction to This Special Issue of Toxins: Application of Novel Methods for Mycotoxin Analysis

by Veronica M. T. Lattanzio and Biancamaria Ciasca

Toxins 2022, 14(3), 190; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins14030190 - 4 Mar 2022

Viewed by 1809

Abstract

Crop contamination by mycotoxins is a global problem that poses significant economic burdens due to the food/feed losses that are caused by reduced production rates; the resulting adverse effects on human and animal health and productivity; and the trade losses associated with the [...] Read more.

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Novel Methods for Mycotoxins Analysis)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Other

16 pages, 1298 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of the Optimum Linker Tethering Site of Alternariol Haptens for Antibody Generation and Immunoassay Development

by Luis G. Addante-Moya, Antonio Abad-Somovilla, Antonio Abad-Fuentes, Consuelo Agulló and Josep V. Mercader

Toxins 2021, 13(12), 883; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13120883 - 10 Dec 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2740 | Correction

Abstract

Immunochemical methods for mycotoxin analysis require antigens with well-defined structures and antibodies with outstanding binding properties. Immunoreagents for the mycotoxins alternariol and/or alternariol monomethyl ether have typically been obtained with chemically uncharacterized haptens, and antigen conjugates have most likely been prepared with mixtures of functionalized molecules. For the first time, total synthesis was performed, in the present study, to obtain two haptens with opposite linker attachment locations. The functionalized synthetic haptens were purified and deeply characterized by different spectrometric methods, allowing the preparation of bioconjugates with unequivocal structures. Direct and indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, using homologous and heterologous conjugates, were employed to extensively evaluate the generated immunoreagents. Antibodies with high affinity were raised from conjugates of both haptens, and a structure-activity relationship between the synthetic haptens and the specificity of the generated antibodies could be established. These results pave the way for the development of novel highly sensitive immunoassays selective of one or two of these Alternaria mycotoxins. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Novel Methods for Mycotoxins Analysis)

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13 pages, 4921 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Undertaking a New Regulatory Challenge: Monitoring of Ergot Alkaloids in Italian Food Commodities

by Veronica Maria Teresa Lattanzio, Emanuela Verdini, Stefano Sdogati, Angela Caporali, Biancamaria Ciasca and Ivan Pecorelli

Toxins 2021, 13(12), 871; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13120871 - 6 Dec 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2801

Abstract

The present manuscript reports on monitoring data of 12 ergot alkaloids (EAs) in cereal and cereal-derived products, collected in Italy over the period 2017–2020, for official control purposes under the edge of the Commission Recommendation 2012/154/EU on the monitoring of the presence of EAs in feed and food. To these purposes, an LC-MS/MS method was set up and applied, after in-house verification of its analytical performance. Besides satisfactory recoveries and precision, the method’s quantification limits proved suitable to assess the compliance of cereals and cereal-based foods with the recently issued EU maximum permitted levels (Commission Regulation 2021/1399/EU). The validity of the generated data was also evaluated through the adoption of four proficiency tests, from which acceptable z-score values (−2 ≤ z ≤ 2) were obtained. The method was then applied to analyse a total of 67 samples, collected in Italy over the period 2017–2020. The samples consisted of 18 cereal grains, 16 flours (14 of wheat and 2 of spelt) and 31 other types of cereals derivatives (including 9 for infants). Overall, the EAs analysis returned a high percentage of left-censored data (>86%). Among the positive samples, the highest contamination levels, up to 94.2 µg/kg, were found for ergocristine (12% incidence), followed by ergocristinine (7% incidence) with levels of up to 48.3 µg/kg. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Novel Methods for Mycotoxins Analysis)

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12 pages, 2068 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Validation of New ELISA Technique for Detection of Aflatoxin B1 Contamination in Food Products versus HPLC and VICAM

by Elsayed Hafez, Nourhan M. Abd El-Aziz, Amira M. G. Darwish, Mohamed G. Shehata, Amira A. Ibrahim, Asmaa M. Elframawy and Ahmed N. Badr

Toxins 2021, 13(11), 747; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13110747 - 21 Oct 2021

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4418

Abstract

Toxin-contaminated foods and beverages are a major source of illness, may cause death, and have a significant negative economic impact worldwide. Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a potent toxin that may induce cancer after chronic low-level exposure. This study developed a quantitative recombinant AflR gene antiserum ELISA technique for aflatoxin B1 detection in contaminated food products. Aflatoxin B1 residuals from 36 food samples were analyzed with HPLC and VICAM. DNA was extracted from aflatoxin-contaminated samples and the AflR gene amplified using PCR. PCR products were purified and ligated into the pGEM-T vector. Recombinant plasmids were sequenced and transformed into competent E. coli (BL21). Molecular size and B-cell epitope prediction for the recombinant protein were assessed. The purified protein was used to induce the production of IgG antibodies in rabbits. Serum IgG was purified and labeled with alkaline phosphatase. Finally, indirect-ELISA was used to test the effectiveness of polyclonal antibodies for detection of aflatoxin B1 in food samples. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Novel Methods for Mycotoxins Analysis)

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11 pages, 1276 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Simultaneous Determination of Ergot Alkaloids in Swine and Dairy Feeds Using Ultra High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

by Saranya Poapolathep, Narumol Klangkaew, Zhaowei Zhang, Mario Giorgi, Antonio Francesco Logrieco and Amnart Poapolathep

Toxins 2021, 13(10), 724; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13100724 - 13 Oct 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2823

Abstract

Ergot alkaloids (EAs) are mycotoxins mainly produced by the fungus Claviceps purpurea. EAs are known to affect the nervous system and to be vasoconstrictors in humans and animals. This work presents recent advances in swine and dairy feeds regarding 11 major EAs, namely ergometrine, ergosine, ergotamine, ergocornine, ergocryptine, ergocristine, ergosinine, ergotaminine, ergocorninine, ergocryptinine, and ergocristinine. A reliable, sensitive, and accurate multiple mycotoxin method, based on extraction with a Mycosep 150 multifunctional column prior to analysis using UHPLC-MS/MS, was validated using samples of swine feed (100) and dairy feed (100) for the 11 targeted EAs. Based on the obtained validation results, this method showed good performance recovery and inter-day and intra-day precision that are in accordance with standard criteria to ensure reliable occurrence data on EA contaminants. More than 49% of the swine feed samples were contaminated with EAs, especially ergocryptine(-ine) (40%) and ergosine (-ine) and ergotamine (-ine) (37%). However, many of the 11 EAs were not detectable in any swine feed samples. In addition, there were contaminated (positive) dairy feed samples, especially for ergocryptine (-ine) (50%), ergosine (-ine) (48%), ergotamine (-ine), and ergocristine (-ine) (49%). The mycotoxin levels in the feed samples in this study almost complied with the European Union regulations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Novel Methods for Mycotoxins Analysis)

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10 pages, 1566 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cleaving Ergot Alkaloids by Hydrazinolysis—A Promising Approach for a Sum Parameter Screening Method

by Maximilian Kuner, Susanne Kühn, Hajo Haase, Klas Meyer and Matthias Koch

Toxins 2021, 13(5), 342; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13050342 - 11 May 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3092

Abstract

Ergot alkaloids are mycotoxins formed by fungi of the Claviceps genus, which are some of the most common contaminants of food and feed worldwide. These toxins are a structurally heterogeneous group of compounds, sharing an ergoline backbone. Six structures and their corresponding stereoisomers are typically quantified by either HPLC-FLD or HPLC-MS/MS and the values subsequently summed up to determine the total ergot alkaloid content. For the development of a screening method targeting all ergot alkaloids simultaneously, the alkaloids need to be transferred to one homogeneous structure: a lysergic acid derivative. In this study, two promising cleaving methods—acidic esterification and hydrazinolysis—are compared, using dihydroergocristine as a model compound. While the acidic esterification proved to be unsuitable, due to long reaction times and oxidation sensitivity, hydrazinolysis reached a quantitative yield in 40‒60 min. Parallel workup of several samples is possible. An increasing effect on the reaction rate by the addition of ammonium iodide was demonstrated. Application of hydrazinolysis to a major ergot alkaloid mix solution showed that all ergopeptines were cleaved, but ergometrine/-inine was barely affected. Still, hydrazinolysis is a suitable tool for the development of a sum parameter screening method for ergot alkaloids in food and feed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Novel Methods for Mycotoxins Analysis)

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16 pages, 871 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Determination of Zearalenone and Trichothecenes, Including Deoxynivalenol and Its Acetylated Derivatives, Nivalenol, T-2 and HT-2 Toxins, in Wheat and Wheat Products by LC-MS/MS: A Collaborative Study

by Annalisa De Girolamo, Biancamaria Ciasca, Michelangelo Pascale and Veronica M.T. Lattanzio

Toxins 2020, 12(12), 786; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins12120786 - 10 Dec 2020

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 3402

Abstract

An analytical method for the simultaneous determination of trichothecenes—namely, nivalenol (NIV), deoxynivalenol (DON) and its acetylated derivatives (3- and 15-acetyl-DON), T-2 and HT-2 toxins—and zearalenone (ZEN) in wheat, wheat flour, and wheat crackers was validated through a collaborative study involving 15 participants from 10 countries. The validation study, performed within the M/520 standardization mandate of the European Commission, was carried out according to the IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) International Harmonized Protocol. The method was based on mycotoxin extraction from the homogenized sample material with a mixture of acetonitrile-water followed by purification and concentration on a solid phase extraction column. High-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry was used for mycotoxin detection, using isotopically labelled mycotoxins as internal standards. The tested contamination ranges were from 27.7 to 378 μg/kg for NIV, from 234 to 2420 μg/kg for DON, from 18.5 to 137 μg/kg for 3-acetyl-DON, from 11.4 to 142 μg/kg for 15-acetyl-DON, from 2.1 to 37.6 μg/kg for T-2 toxin, from 6.6 to 134 μg/kg for HT-2 toxin, and from 31.6 to 230 μg/kg for ZEN. Recoveries were in the range 71–97% with the lowest values for NIV, the most polar mycotoxin. The relative standard deviation for repeatability (RSD_r) was in the range of 2.2–34%, while the relative standard deviation for reproducibility (RSD_R) was between 6.4% and 45%. The HorRat values ranged from 0.4 to 2.0. The results of the collaborative study showed that the candidate method is fit for the purpose of enforcing the legislative limits of the major Fusarium toxins in wheat and wheat-based products. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Novel Methods for Mycotoxins Analysis)

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13 pages, 2575 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development of an Ultrasensitive and Rapid Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay for Ochratoxin A in Rice

by Xiaorong Huang, Xiaoqian Tang, Abdoulie Jallow, Xin Qi, Wen Zhang, Jun Jiang, Hui Li, Qi Zhang and Peiwu Li

Toxins 2020, 12(11), 682; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins12110682 - 29 Oct 2020

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2930

Abstract

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a known food contaminant that affects a wide range of food and agricultural products. The presence of this fungal metabolite in foods poses a threat to human health. Therefore, various detection and quantification methods have been developed to determine its presence in foods. Herein, we describe a rapid and ultrasensitive tracer-based fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) for the detection of OTA in rice samples. Four fluorescent tracers OTA-fluorescein thiocarbamoyl ethylenediamine (EDF), OTA-fluorescein thiocarbamoyl butane diamine (BDF), OTA-amino-methyl fluorescein (AMF), and OTA-fluorescein thiocarbamoyl hexame (HDF) with fluorescence polarization values (δFP = FPbind-FPfree) of 5, 100, 207, and 80 mP, respectively, were synthesized. The tracer with the highest δFP value (OTA-AMF) was selected and further optimized for the development of an ultrasensitive FPIA with a detection range of 0.03–0.78 ng/mL. A mean recovery of 70.0% to 110.0% was obtained from spiked rice samples with a relative standard deviation of equal to or less than 20%. Good correlations (r² = 0.9966) were observed between OTA levels in contaminated rice samples obtained by the FPIA method and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) as a reference method. The rapidity of the method was confirmed by analyzing ten rice samples that were analyzed within 25 min, on average. The sensitivity, accuracy, and rapidity of the method show that it is suitable for screening and quantification of OTA in food samples without the cumbersome pre-analytical steps required in other mycotoxin detection methods. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Novel Methods for Mycotoxins Analysis)

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