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Background Despite numerous studies regarding the prevalence of AFM1 in Milk, no systematic review and meta-analysis study on a global scale was conducted. Scope and approach In our study, the concentration and prevalence of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in different types of milk (cow, buffalo, goat, sheep, camel, donkey, and ewe) from 199 articles (320 data reports and samples of 51252) were meta-analysis using the random effect model (REM) based on countries, type of livestock and type of process milk (raw and pasteurized) subgroups. Key findings and conclusions The overall pooled AFM1 concentration in raw and pasteurized milk was (57.36 ng/l; 95%CI (55.65–59.64 ng/l)) and (85.39 ng/l; 95%CI (82.44–88.35 ng/l)), respectively. The lowest and highest concentration of AFM1 in raw milk was in Libya (1.58 ng/l; 95%CI (1.51–1.65 ng/l)) and Tunisia (14000.00 ng/l; 95%CI (13000.00–14005.00 ng/l)), respectively. The lowest and highest concentration of AFM1 in raw milk was in cow milk (79.65 ng/l; 95%CI (77.65–8.32 ng/l)) and Buffalo milk (2.35 ng/l; 95%CI (2.20–2.50 ng/l)), respectively. The lowest and highest concentration of AFM1 in Pasteurized milk was in Taiwan (3.00 ng/l; 95%CI (2.94–3.06 ng/l)) and Mexico (2801.48 ng/l; 95%CI (503.62–5099.35 ng/l)), respectively. The lowest and highest concentration of AFM1 in pasteurized milk was in the goat (7.67 ng/l; 95%CI (4.74–10.60 ng/l)) and cow (87.20 ng/l; 95%CI (90.19–97.54 ng/l)), respectively. Given that milk and dairy product consumption is a common dietary habit associated with health benefits, the incidence of AFM1 in milk and dairy products should be strictly monitored and controlled continuously. The amount of AFM1 in feedstuffs is an important factor in devising mechanisms to reduce AFM1 in milk and dairy products.

This study aimed to detect the prevalence and concentration of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), deoxynivalenol (DON), ochratoxin A (OTA) and zearalenone (ZEN) in yolk and white boiled poultry eggs in Jordan. T...

Cereal-based foods are utilized as an essential food segment worldwide. Nevertheless, their contamination by mycotoxins, also fumonisins, could pose a critical health risk. The present research provides the first systematic review regarding the prevalence and concentration of fumonisins in cereal-based food with the aid of a meta-analysis. In this regard, some international databases PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Scopus were explored during the last 30 years. Among 9729 screened articles, 73 articles (which meet the proposed inclusion criteria), including 11,132 data, were incorporated in the performed meta-analysis. The overall rank order regarding the concentration of fumonisins in cereal-based foods was corn-based foods > wheat-based foods > other cereal foods > barley-based foods > rice-based foods > oat-based foods. Based on the prevalence of fumonisins, the overall rank order was other cereal foods > corn-based foods > rice-based foods > wheat-based foods > oat-based foods > barley-based food. The present meta-analysis results can be a beneficial database for risk assessment model progress, which can help industries and organizations decrease the presence of fumonisins in cereal-based food.

The main objectives of this study were PHEs concentration meta-analysis (Fe, Zn, Cr, Ni, Cu, Pb, and Cd) in eggplant irrigated by wastewater and the following estimation of non-carcinogenic (n-CR) ...

The contamination of fish type products such as silver pomfret fish fillets by potentially toxic elements (PTEs) has raised global health concerns. Related studies regarding the concentration of PTEs in fillets of silver pomfret fish were retrieved among some international databases such as Scopus, PubMed and Embase between 1 January 1983 and 10 March 2020. The pooled (mean) concentration of PTEs in fillets of silver pomfret fish was meta-analyzed with the aid of a random-effect model (REM). Also, the non-carcinogenic risk was estimated via calculating the 95th percentile of the total target hazard quotient (TTHQ). The meta-analysis of 21 articles (containing 25 studies or data reports) indicated that the ranking of PTEs in fillets of silver pomfret fish was Fe (11,414.81 µg/kg wet weight, ww) > Zn (6055.72 µg/kg ww) > Cr (1825.79 µg/kg ww) > Pb (1486.44 µg/kg ww) > Se (1053.47 µg/kg ww) > Cd (992.50 µg/kg ww) > Ni (745.23 µg/kg ww) > Cu (669.71 µg/kg ww) > total As (408.24 µg/kg ww) > Co (87.03 µg/kg ww) > methyl Hg (46.58 µg/kg ww). The rank order of health risk assessment by country based on the TTHQ for adult consumers was Malaysia (2.500) > Bangladesh (0.886) > Iran (0.144) > China (0.045) > Pakistan (0.020) > India (0.015), while the corresponding values for child consumers was Malaysia (11.790) > Bangladesh (4.146) > Iran (0.675) > China (0.206) > Pakistan (0.096) > India (0.077). The adult consumers in Malaysia and children in Malaysia and Bangladesh were at considerable non-carcinogenic risk. Therefore, following the recommended control plans in order to reduce the health risk associated with the ingestion of PTEs via consumption of silver pomfret fish fillets is crucial.

Water shortage and stress around the world lead to increasing wastewater reuse for the agricultural sector. In addition to its benefits, it can be a way to transfer pollutants such as potentially harmful elements (PHEs) to the human food chain. Many studies have been conducted for this purpose on various vegetables; however, no comprehensive study has been performed on lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) and coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.). In this respect, the study was aimed to meta-analyze the PHEs concentration in the edible part of lettuce and coriander vegetables irrigated by wastewater. Carcinogenic risk (CR) and noncarcinogenic risk (non-CR) assessments were also done for consumers. After reviewing 32 included articles (41 studies), the rank order of the PHEs in lettuce was obtained as Fe (194.76 mg/kg) > Zn (133.47 mg/kg) > Cu (55.70 mg/kg) > Ni (26.96 mg/kg) > Pb (12.80 mg/kg) > Cr (9.68 mg/kg) Cd (8.24 mg/kg) > As (1.13 mg/kg) and for coriander Fe (1056 mg/kg) > Zn (79.80 mg/kg) > Cr (28.34 mg/kg) > Ni (24.71 mg/kg) > Cu (17.46 mg/kg) > Pb (13.23 mg/kg) > Cd (2.23 mg/kg). Total target hazard quotient (TTHQ) for adults in all countries except UAE, France, and Kenya and for children all countries except Kenya was more than 1 value. The carcinogenic risk for adult groups in Nigeria, France, China, and Iran countries was not acceptable (CR > 1E-4). As a consequence, it can be noted that wastewater reuse in the agriculture sector can endanger the health of consumers.

In this work, articles regarding the concentration on potentially harmful elements (PHEs) in fillet trout (rainbow and brown) fishes were retrieved from Cochrane, Scopus, and PubMed databases between 1 January 1983 and 30 April 2020. The pooled concentration of PHEs in fillet trout fishes was meta-analyzed using a random-effect model (REM) and following the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks was calculated using the Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) method. The meta-analysis of 42 articles (43 data report) revealed that a sort of PHEs in fillet trout was 19,996.64 μg/kg ww for Fe; 1834.75 μg/kg ww for Co; 772.21 μg/kg ww for Cu; 335.78 μg/kg ww for Ni; 290.46 μg/kg ww for Se; 226.20for Cr; 178.11 μg/kg ww for Pb; 77.40 μg/kg ww for Hg; 19.40 μg/kg ww for Cd; and 3.66 μg/kg ww for inorganic As. The non-carcinogenic risk assessment indicated that the lowest and highest hazard index (HI) in the adults was Pakistan (0.0012) and Turkey (0.2388), respectively, and in children was Pakistan (0.0057) and Turkey (1.114), respectively. The non-carcinogenic risk was acceptable for adult consumers in all countries (HI > 1 value) but non-carcinogenic risk for children was not acceptable in Turkey. The sort of countries based on carcinogenic risk in the adults due to inorganic As was China (1.44E−06) > Iran (9.14E−08) > Turkey (4.45E−08) > Portugal (9.04E−10). The carcinogenic risk was threshold for adult consumers in China (CR

Since the first official report of the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infections in the city of Qom in mid-February, Iran has become the country most affected by the COVID-19 epidemic in the Middle East. All Iranian provinces are now affected, although to a different extent. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether the distance from the epicenter of the infection (Qom) or demographic factors such as population density and the ratio of the elderly population are associated with the incidence of COVID-19 in different Iranian provinces. For the purpose of determining whether the distance from the virus epicenter could be associated with the spread of infection, linear regression analysis was performed using STATA 12.0 software. The association of the incidence of COVID-19 with the population density and the ratio of the population over 65 years old in 31 Iranian provinces was also evaluated. According to our results, a strong association was found between the incidence of COVID-19 in Iranian provinces and their respective distance from Qom (p < 0.001; C = -0.68). The incidence of COVID-19 in Iranian provinces was also positively associated with the ratio of the population over 65 years old (p = 0.002; C = 0.53), while no significant association with population density was found (p = 0.39; C = 0.16). These results suggest that the implementation of travel restrictions from highly affected areas to other provinces could considerably reduce the rate of transmission of the disease throughout the country. Also, provinces with a higher proportion of elderly people (over 65) were identified as particularly at risk for the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infections. These results will contribute to better management of the COVID-19 outbreak in Iran, taking into account demographic and geographic characteristics of different provinces.

Background The contamination of food products by mycotoxin particularly trichothecenes is a serious health concern. While several studies investigated the concentration and prevalence of trichothecenes in cereal-based products, a comprehensive meta-analysis is not available. Scope and approach The concentration and prevalence of trichothecenes (TCNs) such as deoxynivalenol (DON), nivalenol (NIV), 3-acetyldeoxynivalen, 15-acetyldeoxynivalen, toxins T-2 and HT-2, neosolaniol (NEO), fusarenon-X and 4,15-diacetoxyscirpe in cereal-based food products among databases including Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed and Embase was investigated between 1 January of 1983 and 1 February of 2019 by the aid of a systematic review and meta-analysis prevalence. Among 950 explored articles in the identification stage, 57 articles with 372 samples were included in the current meta-analysis. Key findings and conclusions Among all studied TCNs, the concentration of DON in cereal-based products were higher than others, exceptionally in bread samples which fusurenon x was the dominant TCNs. Also, the highest TCNs prevalence was correlated with DON, except for baby and infant foods which had predominantly T-2. The overall rank order based on the concentration and prevalence of TCNs were breakfast cereals > noddle > bread > wheat foods > pasta > infant foods > barley prevalence and prevalence barley > wheat foods > infant foods > pasta > bread > breakfast cereals > noddle, respectively. The outcomes of the present meta-analysis highlighted the demand for further improvements in controlling of TCNs among cereal-based products, besides approaching mitigation techniques in order to reduce the dietary exposure to TCNs via the consumption of cereal-based foods.

Background Toxoplasma gondii infection, if acquired as an acute infection during pregnancy, can have substantial adverse effects on mothers, fetuses and newborns. Latent toxoplasmosis also causes a variety of pathologies and has been linked to adverse effects on pregnancy. Objective Here, we present results of a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of the global prevalence of latent toxoplasmosis in pregnant women. Data source We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, SciELO and Scopus databases for relevant studies that were published between 1 January 1988 and 20 July 2019. Study eligibility criteria All population-based, cross-sectional and longitudinal studies reporting the prevalence of latent toxoplasmosis in healthy pregnant women were considered for inclusion. Participants Pregnant women who were tested for prevalence of latent toxoplasmosis. Interventions There were no interventions. Method We used a random effects model to calculate pooled prevalence estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We grouped prevalence data according to the geographic regions defined by the World Health Organization (WHO). Multiple subgroup and meta-regression analyses were performed. Results In total, 311 studies with 320 relevant data sets representing 1 148 677 pregnant women from 91 countries were eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis. The global prevalence of latent toxoplasmosis in pregnant women was estimated at 33.8% (95% CI, 31.8–35.9%; 345 870/1 148 677). South America had the highest pooled prevalence (56.2%; 50.5–62.8%) of latent toxoplasmosis in pregnant women, whereas the Western Pacific region had the lowest prevalence (11.8%; 8.1–16.0%). A significantly higher prevalence of latent toxoplasmosis was associated with countries with low income and low human development indices (p Conclusion Our results indicate a high level of latent toxoplasmosis in pregnant women, especially in some low- and middle-income countries of Africa and South America, although the local prevalence varied markedly. These results suggest a need for improved prevention and control efforts to reduce the health risks to women and newborns.

Water shortage and stress around the world lead to the reuse of wastewater in many sectors while the recycling of water in agriculture as one of the most consumed sectors can boost the contamination of crops by potentially toxic elements (PTEs). Therefore, this study was aimed to investigate the correlation between the accumulation of PTEs (Fe, Zn, Cr, Ni, Cu, Pb, As, Cd, and Se) in edible parts of spinach and radish plants and sewage irrigation by the aid of a meta-analysis. Moreover, the non-carcinogenic risk (N-CR) and carcinogenic risk (CR) for health risk assessment of consumers were assessed through actual total target hazard quotient (TTHQact) and carcinogenic risk (CRact). After the screening process, 51 articles with 75 studies were included. According to findings, the rank order of PTEs in spinach and radish were Fe > Zn > Cr > Cu > Ni > Pb > Cd > As > Se and Fe > Zn > Cr > Ni > Cu > Pb > As > Cd > Se, respectively. PTE adsorption by edible parts of spinach (leafy vegetable) was higher than radish. The health risk assessment shows that residents in Iran, India, and China are at N-CR while the population of Iran, India, and Pakistan are facing CR.

The current investigation was carried out to measure the concentration of PTEs in fillet tissue of common carp in Iran by the aid of a systematic review and meta-analysis. The conducted article screening covered the related publications from Scopus, PubMed, Embase, and Scientific Information Database (SID) databases between January 1 to August 30 2018. Additionally, the noncarcinogenic risk of PTEs was estimated via the Target hazard quotient (THQ). According to findings, the rank order of PTEs (µg/kg. wet weight) in fillets of common carp was Fe (2884.54) > Zn (1097.37) > Ni (311.78) > Cu (154.27) > Pb (130.98) > total Cr (94.31) > total As (73.82) > Hg (Methyl mercury form) (71.35) > Cd (40.15). The pooled concentration of PTEs were below their corresponded values defined by national and international standards. The rank order of PTEs based on THQ for the adults consumers was Hg (methyl)(0.20000) > Pb (0.01111) > Cd (0.01000) > Ni (0.01000) > Fe (0.00141) > Zn (0.00127) > Cu (0.00125) > Cr (Total) (0.00002) and children was Hg (Methyl mercury form) (0.40000) > Cd (0.03000) > Pb (0.02222) > Ni (0.01727) > Fe (0.00259) > Cu (0.00250) > Zn (0.00230) > Cr (Total) (0.00004). However, the noncarcinogenic health risk of PTEs through consumption of common carp in Iran is at negligible level (TTHQ < 1), continuous monitoring of concentrations of PTEs among this fish and related products due to its general popularity besides further actions for preventing from the pollution of water resources are recommended.

Background The current meta-analysis study was aimed to estimate the potentially toxic elements (PTEs) contamination in cereal grains and their products such as wheat, rice, corn, maize, barley, oat, peas, soybean, cornflakes, and breakfast. Scope and approach The recommended databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect databases, were investigated to collect data regarding the PTEs contamination in cereal-based products from 1 January 1983 to 30 May 2019. Key findings and conclusions Among 1401 retrieved citations in the identification step, 45 articles were included in the conducted meta-analysis. In this context, the overall rank order of PTEs mean concentration in the cereal foods was Fe > Zn > Mn > Cu > Ni > Cr > Cd > As > Pb > Sn > Hg. The results of the current study showed that processing has a strong effect on the reduction of PTEs except in the case of Zn and Sn. The concentration of Cu, Cd, Pb, Fe, Hg and Mn in wheat was higher than corn and rice. The amount of Zn and As in rice was greater than wheat and corn while the concentration of Ni and Cr in corn was higher than wheat and rice. The findings of this meta-analysis may be useful for the building of risk assessment models aiming to derive data for the development of specific actions to reduce exposure to PTEs through the consumption of the cereal-based products.

Background There is an increasing trend in the consumption of egg on a worldwide scale, however, it can be a source of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) which could threaten the health of consumers. Scope and approach The related studies on the concentration of PTEs in eggs by databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Embase in a global scale were retrieved and following meta-analyzed. Additionally, the associated human health risk was estimated by calculating hazard quotient (THQ) and total hazard quotient (THQ) and cancer risk (CR) by the aid of Monte Carlo simulated (MCS) model. Key findings and conclusions According to systematic review and meta-analysis of 38 included articles with 59 studies, the total rank order of PTEs was Fe (44.11 mg/kg) > Zn (25.45 mg/kg) > Cu (2.100 mg/kg) > Pb (0.797 mg/kg) > Ni (0.781 mg/kg) > Se (0.633 mg/kg) > Cr (0.368 mg/kg) > As (0.148 mg/kg) > Cd (0.028 mg/kg) > Hg (0.0027 mg/kg). The overall rank order considering the type of bird based on the concentration of PTEs was Quail eggs > Duck eggs > Hen eggs. Additionally, among all of them, the concentration of PTEs in the yolk part of eggs was higher while compared with the white part. On the other hand, no significant difference regarding the concentration of PTEs among commercial eggs and local eggs was observed. Also, both adults and children consumers in some countries are at significant non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks due to ingestion of PTEs via egg consumption.

The consumption of marine foods such as Tilapia spp fish offers several beneficial nutrition effects, however, it can endanger the health of humans while contains a high concentration of potentially toxic elements (PTEs). In this work, the related studies regarding the concentration of PTEs in Tilapia fish were collected by searching among some databases such as the Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Embase. Furthermore, the concentration of PTEs in Tilapia spp fish was meta-analyzed by the aid of the random effect model (REM). Additionally, the non-carcinogenic risk in both adults and children due to the ingestion of PTEs via consumption of Tilapia spp fish was estimated by calculating target hazard quotient (THQ) and total target hazard quotient (TTHQ). Meta-analysis of 79 articles (87 data) showed that rank order of PTEs (mg/kg) in Tilapia spp fish was Fe (9.925)>Zn (1.556)>Mn (1.065)>Cr (0.627)>Cu (0.485)>Pb (0.218)>Ni (0.217)>As (0.140)>Hg (0.113)>Cd (0.107). The rank order of PTEs based on their quota in TTHQ was As (86.21%)>Hg (4.01%)>Ni (2.96%)>Pb (2.32%)>Zn (1.38%)>Fe (1.21%)>Cu (0.95%)>Cd (0.80%)>Cr (0.10%)>Mn (0.06%). Also, the non-carcinogenic risk assessment shows that TTHQ for both adults and children consumers was lower than 1, demonstrating no considerable non-carcinogenic risk in all countries.HighlightsMeta-analysis of data from of 79 articles (87 data-reports) was conducted.The order of PTEs was Fe > Zn > Mn > Cr > Cu » Ni > As > Hg > Cd.Quota of As (86.21%) in TTHQ was higher than others PTEs.Consumers are not at the considerable non-carcinogenic risk in all countries. Meta-analysis of data from of 79 articles (87 data-reports) was conducted. The order of PTEs was Fe > Zn > Mn > Cr > Cu » Ni > As > Hg > Cd. Quota of As (86.21%) in TTHQ was higher than others PTEs. Consumers are not at the considerable non-carcinogenic risk in all countries.

Background Cereal and cereal-based products are used as an important sources of energy and minerals as well as vitamins in all of the world. However, their contamination with mycotoxins reserved huge concerns due to adverse effects of mycotoxin on human health. Scope and approach The present research was undertaken to evaluate published studies regarding the identification of mycotoxins zearalenone (ZEN), ochratoxin A (OTA), deoxynivalenol (DON), and total aflatoxin (TAF) in the cereal-based products between 1 January 1983 and 25 December 2017. In this regard, 66 out of 2817 screened studies were used in the conducted systematic review. Key findings and conclusions The lowest and highest number of published reports was associated with DON and TAF in some of the cereal-based products, respectively. Among the countries, Germany was ranked as the first in establishing investigations. Moreover, the liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI/MS) was categorized as the most implemented technique for mycotoxin detection. The rank order of products cereal-based food based on number of studies was cereal grains > cornflake > bread > breakfast > flour > infant product > pasta > other products. The results of this study not only summarized the most frequently mycotoxin detection technique but also may provide a roadmap for future research regarding the mycotoxins detection analysis.

The current investigation was aimed to estimate the prevalence and concentration of ochratoxin A (OTA) in different types of coffee and coffee-based products with the aid of a systematic review and meta-analysis. Therefore, the recommended databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Embase from Jan 1983 to Oct 2018 were screened to retrieve the related citations. In this regard, among 1041 explored articles in the identification step, thirty six articles with 3182 samples were included in the meta-analysis and meta-regression. According to findings, the global pooled concentration and prevalence of OTA was calculated as 3.21 μg/kg (95% CI: 3.08-3.34 μg/kg) and 53.0 % (95% CI: 43.0-62.0), respectively. Also, direct correlations between the increases in poverty as well as the amount of annual precipitation and prevalence of OTA was noted, while with decreasing in HDI the prevalence of OTA in coffee significantly was increased. Moreover, the lowest and highest concentrations of OTA in coffee were observed in Taiwan (0.35 μg/kg) and Turkey (79.0 μg/kg), respectively. The outcome of this meta-analysis can be used for the building of risk assessment models aiming to derive data for the development of specific actions to reduce the exposure to this mycotoxin in coffee and coffee-based products.

Background In this current study, a systematic review and meta-analysis in a global scale regarding the prevalence and concentration of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in the human breast milk were conducted based on the socioeconomic indexes and amounts of precipitation. Scope and approach All available studies published in PubMed, Scopus, Web of sciences and Embase databases were screened between 1 January 1983 and 25 December 2017. Also, the probabilistic carcinogenic risk by the hazard index (HI) in the Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) was calculated. Key findings and conclusions The meta-analysis of 57 papers containing 196 studies showed that the minimum and maximum concentrations of AFM1 in human breast milk was noted in Sierra Leone (0.80 ng/L) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) (465.76 ng/L), respectively. The lowest prevalence of AFM1 in human breast milk was reported in Brazil (2%) while the highest was observed in the Gambia ∼ Tanzania ∼ Jordan (100%). The minimum and maximum concentrations of AFM1 in human breast milk were observed in America (10.30 ng/L) and South-East Asia continents (358.99 ng/L), respectively. Also, the lowest and highest prevalence of AFM1 in human breast milk was observed in the West Pacific (7%) and Africa (52%) continents, respectively. According to findings, with increasing average rain annual and poverty (GDP ranking), the prevalence of AFM1 in human breast milk significantly (P-value

This study was conducted to investigate the residues of pyrethroid and organophosphorus pesticide in flour and breads which were collected from local markets in Kermanshah province, Iran. Four diff...

Toxoplasmosis, caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, is an important disease with worldwide distribution. Infection can occur from ingesting raw or undercooked infected meat, and among food animal species, pork is known to be one of the main sources of meat-borne infection. Here, we present results of the first systematic review and meta-analysis on the global T. gondii seroprevalence in pigs. PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and EMBASE databases were comprehensively searched for relevant studies published between January 1, 1990 and October 25, 2018. We used a random effects model to calculate pooled seroprevalence estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and analyzed data from five continents. We also conducted subgroup and meta-regression analyses to evaluate the effects of geographical and climate variables on pooled seroprevalence rates. Among 1542 publications identified, 148 studies containing 150 datasets were included in the meta-analysis, and comprised 148,092 pigs from 47 countries. The pooled global T. gondii seroprevalence in pigs was estimated to be 19% (95%CI, 17-22%; 23,696/148,092), with the lowest seroprevalence in Europe (13%; 10-15%) and highest seroprevalence in Africa (25%; 17-34%) and North America (25%; 19-33%). The seropositivity rates in Asia and South America regions were (21%, 16-26%) and (23%; 17-30%), respectively. A significantly higher T. gondii seroprevalence was associated with higher mean annual temperature and lower geographical latitude. The presence of cats on farms was identified as a potential risk factor for T. gondii seropositivity (OR, 1.41; 95%CI, 1.00-2.02). Our findings highlight the importance of pigs as a possible source of human T. gondii infections.

Foods, besides their nutritional value, are used to be as a tool in maintaining of physical and mental well-being and prevent disease. Based on the definition of Functional foods as foods, which may offer health benefits beyond basic nutrition, functional foods, are categorized as foods, not medicine. Among the last decades, the growing market for functional foods, representing both opportunities and challenges to food producers as well academic sections to cover such demand and furthermore conquer the acceptance of consumer. In this article, an overview regarding the probiotics as well as prebiotics as outstanding components of functional foods, compatibility and their use in food products have been reviewed.

In the current study, the concentration and prevalence of birds' egg's mycotoxins among 11 articles (66 studies) based on countries, part of eggs, and type of mycotoxins subgroups were meta-analyses using a random-effect model. The order of mycotoxin according to concentration of mycotoxin was Deoxynivalenol (20.083 μg/kg)Zearalenone (2.065 μg/kg)Enniatin (1.120 μg/kg)Total aflatoxin (0.371 μg/kg)Beauvericin (0.223 μg/kg)Ochratoxins (0.087 μg/kg)Citrinin (0.010 μg/kg). Further, the mycotoxins' concentration in the yolk part (2.070 μg/kg) was higher than the mixed eggs (0.283 μg/kg). The rank order of mycotoxin based on country was China (14.990 μg/kg)Cameroon (7.594 μg/kg)Thailand (1.870 μg/kg)Finland (0.920 μg/kg)Iran (0.312 μg/kg)Jordan (0.202 μg/kg)Belgium (0.183 μg/kg)Spain (Lod μg/kg)South Korea (Lod μg/kg). The rank order of mycotoxins based on prevalence was BEA (99.73%)DON (85.00%)AFT (20.15%)OT (16.00%). The overall prevalence of mycotoxin was equal to 29.65%. Also, the concentration of mycotoxins in China and Cameroon was higher than in other countries. Therefore, the monitoring programs to reduce mycotoxins in bird eggs consumed in some countries such as China and Cameroon should be considered.

In the present study, the concentration of (potentially toxic element) PTEs in the five fish species from the Caspian Sea (from five coastal areas) was measured and compared. The target hazard quotient (THQ) and total THQ (TTHQ) were calculated using Monte Carlo simulations to determine the non-carcinogenic risk in both children and adults consumers. The highest concentration of PTEs was associated with chromium (Cr) measured in Cyprinus carpio, sampled from Bandar Anzali (1.56 ± 0.14 μg/g dw), and the minimum PTEs level was nickel (Ni) in Vimba from Astara (0.02 ± 0.01 μg/g d w). The rank order for PTEs based on THQ was mercury (Hg) > cadmium (Cd) > lead (Pb)> Ni > tin (Sn) > Total Cr. For adults, the fishes rank order based on TTHQ was: Cyprinus carpio (3.268) > Chelon saliens (2.89) > Rutilus frisii kutum kanesky (2.28) > Oncorhynchus mykis (1.39) > Vimba (0.25); and for children was Cyprinus carpio (15.25) > Chelon saliens (13.47) > Rutilus frisii kutum kanesky (10.63) > Oncorhynchus mykis (6.48) > Vimba (1.16). Overall this study showed that the levels of PTEs in investigated fish species had a potential non-carcinogenic risk for both children and adults (TTHQ>1).

Cryptosporidium spp., as a genus of protozoan intestinal parasites, is recognized as responsible for cryptosporidiosis. The present study was conducted to provide an overview of the prevalence of Cryptosporidium based on water. In this regard, some databases such as Scopus, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were screened in order to retrieve the related citations from 1 January 1983 to 10 September 2019. The pooled prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. was calculated by using a random effect model (REM) based on defined subgroups, including countries, water type, treatment conditions (treated and untreated), economic condition, World Health Organization (WHO) regions, and method of detection. In contrast, this index for treated and untreated water was 25.7% and 40.1%, respectively. Also, the overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. among all water types was defined as 36 (95% CI: 31.4–40.7). The rank order of prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. based on water type was wastewater (46.9%) > surface water (45.3%) > raw water (31.6%) > drinking water (25.5%) > reservoirs water (24.5%) > groundwater (18.8%) > swimming pool water (7.5%) > marine water (0.20%). Identifying the key contributing factors to Cryptosporidium spp. survival can help provide solutions at both local and global scales.

Brucellosis is a widespread zoonotic disease affecting human and livestock health. This meta-epidemiological study is aiming to draw a comprehensive picture of the Brucella prevalence in Iranian livestock, trying to estimate most affected subgroups as well as the most appropriate methods and sampling conditions for brucellosis screening programs. A literature search was performed among data published between 1 January 1970 and July 2020. Different subgroups were compared according to animal species, gender, age, sampling season, sampling locations as well as the diagnostic method used for brucellosis screening. To determine heterogeneity of studies, Chi-squared test was used and a random effect model (REM) estimated the pooled prevalence among subgroups. A total of 45 publications, comprising 240 studies/data-reports, were evaluated. A significant increase in the number of studies was found over time (Coefficient = 0.151, p value

In this study, the concentration of potentially hazardous elements (PHEs) in the muscle of Blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus) from the Strait of Hormuz was analyzed and following the health risk in the consumers by uncertainty and sensitivity analysis in the Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) technique was estimated. Fifty-eight blue card samples (male blue crabs = 33 samples; female blue crabs = 25 samples) were collected in the Strait of Hormuz from May to September 2020 for analysis of Nickel (Ni), Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), and Iron (Fe) using Flame Absorption Spectrometer (FAAS). The order of PHEs in the in muscle male blue crabs was Fe (414.37 ± 288.07 μg/kg.ww) > Pb (238.78 ± 87.83 μg/kg.ww) > Ni (92.57 ± 39.72 μg/kg.ww) > Cd (52.73 ± 18.39 μg/kg.ww) and in female blue crabs Fe (461.16 ± 320.56 μg/kg.ww) > Pb (230.79 ± 125.59 μg/kg.ww) > Ni (84.13 ± 46.07 μg/kg.ww) > Cd (67.412 ± 43.93 μg/kg.ww). The concentration of PHEs muscle of male blue crabs and female blue crabs was not significantly different (P-value > 0.05). Uncertainty of non-carcinogenic risk revealed that P95% of total target hazard quotient (TTHQ) in the adult and children consumers due to ingestion male blue crabs was 5.30E-3 and 1.08E-3, respectively, and P95% of TTHQ in the adult and children due to ingestion female blue crabs was 7.05E-3 and 1.20E-3, respectively. P95% of TTHQ in both adult and children consumers was lower than one value. Therefore, consumers are at the acceptable range of the non-carcinogenic risk due to ingestion muscle of male and female blue crabs in Bandar Abbas. Although the non-carcinogenic risk of blue crab was in the safe range, due to the increase in its consumption and the increase of pollution sources in the Persian Gulf, it is recommended to monitor PHEs in Blue’s muscle crabs.

The contamination of seafood like narrow-barred Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson) fillets by potentially toxic elements (PTEs) has converted to worldwide health concerns. In this regard, the related citations regarding the concentration of PTEs in fillets of narrow-barred Spanish mackerel were collected through some of the international databases such as Scopus, Cochrane, PubMed, and Scientific Information Database (SID) up to 10 March 2020. The concentration of PTEs in fillets of narrow-barred Spanish mackerel fish was meta-analyzed and the health risk (non-carcinogenic risk) was estimated by the total target hazard quotient (TTHQ). The meta-analysis of data indicated that the rank order of PTEs in fillet of narrow-barred Spanish mackerel was Fe (10,853.29 μg/kg-ww) > Zn (4007.00 μg/kg-ww) > Cu (1005.66 μg/kg-ww) > total Cr (544.14 μg/kg-ww) > Mn (515.93 μg/kg-ww) > Ni (409.90 μg/kg-ww) > Pb (180.99 μg/kg-ww) > As (93.11 μg/kg-ww) > methyl Hg (66.60 μg/kg-ww) > Cd (66.03 μg/kg-ww). The rank order of health risk assessment based on the country by the aid of TTHQ for adult consumers was Malaysia (0.22251) > Philippines (0.21912) > Egypt (0.08684) > Taiwan (0.07430) > Bahrain (0.04893) > Iran (0.03528) > China (0.00620) > Pakistan (0.00316) > Yemen (0.00157) > India (0.00073). In addition, the rank order of health risk assessment based on the country by the aid of TTHQ for child consumers was Malaysia (1.03838) > Philippines (1.02257) > Egypt (0.40523) > Taiwan (0.34674) > Bahrain (0.22832) > Iran (0.16466) > China (0.02892) > Pakistan (0.01474) > Yemen (0.00731) > India (0.00340). Therefore, the children in Malaysia and the Philippines were at considerable non-carcinogenic risk. Hence, approaching the recommended control plans in order to decrease the non-carcinogenic risk associated with the ingestion of PTEs via the consumption of narrow-barred Spanish mackerel fish fillets is crucial.

Brucellosis is a widespread zoonotic disease with serious consequences on human and animal health. Brucella infections were reported in many terrestrial wild animals, from subtropical and temperate regions to arctic regions. In many areas, the epidemiology of brucellosis in wildlife is closely associated with the occurrence of the disease in livestock. Some wild species may contribute to the re-introduction of Brucella infections in livestock (spillback), even in officially brucellosis-free (OBF) regions. Through meta-regression analysis, this study draws a global picture of the prevalence of Brucella spp. in terrestrial wild animals, trying to determine most affected subgroups as well as preferential sampling and screening methods. For this purpose, a literature search was carried out among publications published from 1983 to 2019. Different subgroups were compared according to animal species, feeding, gender, age as well as the method used for sampling and for brucellosis diagnostic. To determine heterogeneity of studies, chi-squared test was used and a random-effects model (REM) estimated the pooled prevalence among subgroups. A total of 68 publications, comprising 229 data reports/studies, were selected. The most-reported Brucella species in wildlife was Brucella abortus, and the highest prevalence rate was found in American bison, Bison bison (39.9%) followed by Alpine ibex, Capra ibex (33%). Serology was the most widely applied diagnostic approach (66%), while PCR appeared to be highly sensitive (36.62% of positive results). The gender of animals showed no significant association with the prevalence of brucellosis (p > .05). Blood samples and visceral organs constituted the great majority of specimen used for the detection of Brucella spp., while lymph nodes showed a high prevalence of positive samples (94.6%). The present study provides insight into the global epidemiology and enzootic potential of brucellosis in wild terrestrial animals worldwide, aiming at helping the appropriate authorities to strengthen prevention, surveillance and control strategies.

Toxascaris leonina is an ascaridoid nematode of dogs and cats, this parasite affects the health of these animals. This study estimated the global prevalence of Ta. leonina infection in dogs and cats using random effects meta-analysis as well as subgroup, meta-regression and heterogeneity analyses. The data were stratified according to geographical region, the type of dogs and cats and environmental variables. A quantitative analysis of 135 published studies, involving 119,317 dogs and 25,364 cats, estimated prevalence rates of Ta. leonina in dogs and cats at 2.9% and 3.4%, respectively. Prevalence was highest in the Eastern Mediterranean region (7.2% for dogs and 10.0% for cats) and was significantly higher in stray dogs (7.0% vs. 1.5%) and stray cats (7.5% vs. 1.8%) than in pets. The findings indicate that, worldwide, ~26 million dogs and ~23 million cats are infected with Ta. leonina, these animals would shed substantial numbers of Ta. leonina eggs into the environment each year and might represent reservoirs of infection to other accidental or paratenic hosts. It is important that populations of dogs and cats as well as other canids and felids be monitored and dewormed for Ta. leonina and (other) zoonotic helminths.

Intestinal protozoa infections are responsible for considerable morbidity and mortality, especially where the exposed population suffers from a lack of drinking water and sanitation facilities. In this study, the association between the lack of safe drinking water and sanitation (toilet) facilities with intestinal Entamoeba spp infection in the children (5–11 years), adult (18–55 years), and all age (5–55 years) were assessed. For this purpose, some of the international databases such as Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase were screened to up to 7 June 2019 in order to retrieve the related citations. Also, the pooled odds ratios (ORs) following 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random-effects model. Twenty-nine articles with 36 studies were included while the OR extracted or calculated by using 2 × 2 contingency tables. However, the ingestion of contaminated water insignificantly can increase the odds ratio (OR) of Entamoeba spp infection (OR 1.01, (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.58 to 1.43), no access to sanitation (toilet) facilities significantly can increase odds of Entamoeba spp infection (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.32). The meta-regression analysis showed that over time, odds of intestinal Entamoeba spp infection increased in both lack of safe drinking water (Coefficient: 3.24, P-value < 0.01) and sanitation (toilet) facilities (Coefficient: 2.36, P-value < 0.05) subgroups. Considering the findings, lack of safe drinking water resulted in a further increase in intestinal Entamoeba spp infection among adult (OR: 2.76), children (OR = 0.57) and all age groups (OR: 1.50), and also lack of sanitation (toilet) facilities resulted in further increase intestinal Entamoeba spp infection in children (OR: 1.06), adult (OR: 1.26) and all age (OR: 1.16). In this context, the lack of safe drinking water and sanitation facilities (toilet) was associated with a high risk of intestinal Entamoeba spp infection. Further attempts to providing public health facilities can control the prevalence of intestinal Entamoeba spp.

West Azerbaijan, especially the city of Urmia, is the center of Iranian apple and grape production hence the importance of this, residues of 85 pesticides in these products were investigated using modified QuEChERS extraction followed by UHPLC-MS/MS technique. Residues of 17 different pesticides detected in some apple samples. In grape sample only 7 pesticides detected. The levels of the residues found in all apple and grape samples were below the maximum residue levels (MRLs) of Iran, except for iprodione. Health risk assessment associated with pesticide residues in apples and grapes were estimated by hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI), which indicated that the HI value was lower than 1 in adults and children due to apple and consumption. HI in adults and children were 0.012 and 0.054 in apple; 0.001 and 0.003 in grape samples, respectively. Although the health risk assessment showed that the consumers are not at considerable risk but due to pesticide residue, implement control plans to manage the proper application of this pesticide, or replace it with safer alternatives in apple and grape is required.

The study aimed to perform a meta-analysis on the fate of ochratoxin A (OTA), zearalenone (ZEN), deoxynivalenol (DON) and total aflatoxin (TAF) during steps of bread and pasta-based products processing. A total of twenty and eight articles (549 data) collected from 1983 through June 2017 were included. Some of the investigated processing such as milling and fermentation caused an increase in the concentration of DON and TAF; although they reduce the concentration of ZEN and OTA. Also, heat processing (cooking) decrease the DON, OTA, and TAF and increase the concentration of ZEN in bread. Cooking reduces the concentration of DON and ZEN in the biscuit. Cooking of pasta reduces the content of DON; however, it increases the concentration of TFA. The findings showed that the mycotoxins and their fate were influenced differently by the unit operations steps involved in the preparation of the different cereal-based products.

The prevalence of aflatoxins (AFs) B1, B2, G1, and G2 in Iranian edible oils were assessed by immunoaffinity column cleanup and HPLC equipped with a fluorescence detector (HPLC-FLD). Ninety-seven samples including sunflower, canola, refined olive, unrefined olive, frying, and blend oils were collected from eight provinces (n = 15 samples of refined olive oil, n = 15 samples of unrefined olive oil, n = 15 samples of sunflower oil, n = 15 samples of canola oil, n = 17 samples of frying oil, and n = 20 samples of blend oil). Also, cancer risk of aflatoxins in the adults and children due to ingestion of edible oils was estimated via margin of exposure (MOE) estimation in the Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) model. Considering the limit of detection (LOD) of the current study, two unrefined olive oil samples from Zanjan Province were contaminated with AFB2 in the concentrations of 0.2 and 0.4 ng/g while other samples were free from AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, and AFG2. This study revealed that about 98% of the collected samples were free from AFs and the concentrations of AFs in the polluted samples were within the standard range suggested by European Commission regulation (20 μg/kg). However, health risk assessment indicated that both adult and children in the Zanjan Province are at considerable liver cancer risk (percentile 95% of MOE

Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) is a hepatocarcinogen found in the milk of lactating animals that have ingested feed contaminated with aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). In this study, a global systematic review was conducted to collect and evaluate the quantitative data regarding the prevalence and concentration of AFM1 in several types of cheeses produced with milk from cows and goats. According to the findings, the rank order of AFM1 concentration was cow's cheeses (13,000.00 ng/kg) > mixed cow-goat-sheep cheeses (7214.71 ng/kg) > goat's-milk cheeses (178.30 ng/kg). The rank order of AFM1 contamination based on the cheese texture was hard (14,000.00 ng/kg) > semi-hard (2175.03 ng/kg) > soft (533.71 ng/kg) > semi-soft (70.30 ng/kg). The higher prevalence of AFM1 was reported for soft (53%) and mixed cow-goat-sheep (51%) cheeses while compared with other types of cheeses. Importantly, the AFM1 concentrations in all types of cheese except semi-soft cheese and goat's milk cheese were exceeded the recommended level. Thus, stringent control regarding animal feed, milk production, and cheese processing as well as storage conditions should be carried out, aiming at reducing the AFM1 in cheeses.

Short- and long-term exposure to heavy metals can be dangerous for human health. One of the main routes of exposure to heavy metals is intake of seafood such as fish. In this study, lead (Pb), copp...

This study evaluated the extent of metal levels of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and mercury (Hg) in edible muscles of common kilka at Babolsar and Amirabad coastal regions from the southern basin of Caspian Sea. These values were compared with the WHO and the UNFAO safety standards regarding the amount of the abovementioned heavy metals in fish tissues (mg/kg w.w.). Results showed that Zn concentrations were highest among the trace elements examined, while concentrations of Hg were generally the lowest in the analyzed tissues. In the other hand, the accumulation of these elements was not significantly different between coastal regions (p > 0.05). While accumulation of Cu and Mn at edible muscles of Clupeonella cultriventris were significant difference between two coastal regions (p Cu > Cr > Cd > Ni > Mn > Pb > Hg. Furthermore, Pearson correlatio...

Brucellosis, known as Malta fever or Mediterranean fever, is one of the most common bacterial zoonotic diseases caused by Brucella spp. which can result in serious health issues. The objective of the present study was to systematically review and summarize the studies regarding the prevalence of Brucella spp. in milk and milk products in the Middle East region. Some international databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct, and Google Scholar) were searched to retrieve relevant reports published between 1 January 2008 and 30th October 2018. After assessing for eligibility, 30 articles containing 9281 samples, were included in the current study. The highest number of publications were found in Iran and Turkey (n = 12 and 7, respectively), while Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Syria had the lowest number of publications (n = 1). Besides, the highest and lowest prevalence was observed in Kuwait (62%) and Egypt (15%), respectively. The highest and lowest overall prevalence of Brucella spp. in milk was found in raw cow milk 36% (95%CI: 28–54%) and raw buffalo milk 13% (95%CI: -22–48%), respectively. The overall prevalence in cheese estimated to be 9% (95%CI: -16–35%). The overall prevalence of Brucella spp. in dairy products in the Middle East was estimated to be 29% (95%CI: 23–35%). The results indicate that more risk management plans are needed to reduce the incidence of Brucella spp. in dairy products in the Middle East, especially in cow milk.

Brucella spp. are Gram-negative coccobacilli that may grow in different media and environmental conditions for extended periods of time. The survivals of these bacteria in the environment have an important impact on the epidemiology of brucellosis worldwide. The effect of climate on the incidence of certain zoonotic infectious diseases, (recently referred to as climate-sensitive zoonosis) is now well established. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relation between the incidence of brucellosis and climatic parameters in Iran, an important endemic region for brucellosis with diverse climate. The information on the incidence of human brucellosis in different Iranian provinces for 2016 has been provided by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Iran. Annual meteorological data collected between 2015 and 2016 were obtained from the Iranian Meteorological organization (IMO). A regression analysis of the incidence of brucellosis was performed via STATA 14.0 and the heterogeneity among observations was determined via Cochrane's Q-test and I2 statistic. If I2 index was higher than 50%, heterogeneity was considered as considerable. The results of regression analyses revealed a negative significant association between mean ambient air temperature and brucellosis incidence (C = - 0.022, P value = 0.004). Likewise, a positive significant association was found between number of frosty days and brucellosis incidence (C = 0.002, p value = 0.003). Other metrological parameters showed no significant effect on the human brucellosis incidence. Although our results suggest a high degree of temperature sensitivity in regards to the brucellosis incidence in Iran, this study opens up prospects for further investigations regarding environmental conditions and climatic changes influencing the spatial distributions and seasonal/annual cycle of this zoonotic pathogen worldwide.

Brucellosis is known as an influential zoonosis in different regions worldwide, with significant effects on the reproductive performance of livestock. Considering the high incidence of brucellosis in dairy products and further negative impacts on food safety, the present study was aimed to systematically investigate prevalence worldwide among published data regarding the identification of Brucella spp. in dairy products. In this regard, some databases, i.e., Scopus, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science have been searched to retrieve all related articles regarding the incidence of Brucella contaminations in dairy products from 1 January 1983 to 1 April 2019. The prevalence of Brucella spp. in unpasteurized dairy products based on countries, WHO regions, and dairy product subgroups were evaluated and statistically compared. Based on the findings, the prevalence of Brucella spp. in dairy products increased while the GDP (C = 0.17, P-value 0.001) and HDI (C = 0.19, P-value 0.001) ranking decreased. Also, the highest prevalence of Brucella contamination in dairy products was noted in buffalo (25.91%) and goat (17.90%), respectively. The lowest and highest prevalence of Brucella spp. were observed in the Western Pacific (15.32%) and the Southeast Asia region (25.55%), respectively. Also, the rank order of WHO regions based on odds ratio (OR) was Southeast Asia region (2.84) Eastern Mediterranean (2.41) Region of America (1.65) European Region (1.54) Africa region (1.46) Western Pacific (reference). The results of this study showed that decreasing poverty and an increase in the level of education in societies could reduce the prevalence of Brucella spp. in dairy products. The outcome of the current investigation can be used for the implementation of sustainable intervention and prevention strategies in affected regions.

This study evaluated the concentrations of nine heavy metals in muscle specimens of pike (Esox lucius Linnaeus, 1758) from four sites of southwest of the Caspian Sea: Shijan, Abkenar, Hendakhale and Siakeshim. The potential human health risks due to consumption of pike have been assessed by estimated average daily intake (EDI) and target hazard quotient (THQ) of metals. In particular, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Hg, As, Ni, Co and Mn were quantified in the edible tissue of specimens by AAS determination. The average metal concentrations of Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Hg, As, Ni, Co and Mn measured in this study were 1.12 ± 0.264, 5.37 ± 0.702, 0.058 ± 0.023, 0.20 ± 0.035, 0.005 ± 0.002, 0.17 ± 0.047, 0.33 ± 0.062, 0.28 ± 0.034 and 0.20 ± 0.035 μg/g w wt, respectively. Our results demonstrate the consumption of muscle of pike for adult and children as less than 1, hence residents of these regions will not be exposed to significant health risks.

Food contamination by heavy metals can lead to the accumulation of these elements in the body of consumers and the contraction of diseases. Accordingly, heavy metal concentration in common carp fishes consumed in Shiraz, Iran was determined in the present study. The mean concentrations of Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cu were 0.23, 0.07, 0.47, and 0.59 mg/kg (dry weight), respectively. The average concentration of heavy metals in the muscle of common carps consumed in Shiraz was less than the permissible standard of the WHO and FAO. The estimated weekly intake (EWI) of the studied metals was below the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI). The maximum and minimum relative risk (RR) equaled 48.93 and 0.55% of the total risk for Cd and Zn, respectively.

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and concentration of total aflatoxin (TAF) ochratoxin A (OTA), zearalenone (ZEN) and deoxynivalenol (DON) in bread, cornflakes, breakfast cereals and pasta-based products through meta-analysis. The required databases including (PubMed and Scopus databases) were investigated to collect data on the concentration and prevalence of mentioned mycotoxins in cereal-based products. Among 2461 explored articles in identification step, 38 articles with 9627 samples were included in the conducted meta-analysis. The prevalence and concentration of studied mycotoxins varied with the cereal-based food studied. In this context, the overall rank order of mycotoxins prevalence in the cereal foods was OTA > DON > ZEN > TAF > 15-ADON > 3-ADON. Also, the overall rank order of mycotoxins based on concentration in the cereal foods investigated was DON > ZEN > 15-ADON > OTA > 3-ADON > TAF. The findings of this meta-analysis may be useful for the building of risk assessment models aiming to derive data for the development of specific actions to reduce the exposure to OTA, ZEN, TAF, and DON through the consumption of the cereal-based products.

Exposure to heavy metals such as arsenic (As), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd) in either the short or the long term can cause cancers in humans. Dietary intake and consumption of rice (Oryza sativa L.) is increasing in Iran, and several studies on the concentration of heavy metals in rice have been carried out in this country in recent years. In this perspective, the main objective of the present study was to investigate, even via a meta-analysis of the existing literature, the presence of As and Pb in rice from many geographical areas in Iran, as well as to estimate the carcinogenic risk of these heavy metals in rice consumers. The results of the present ten years-spanning systematic review indicate that 21 reports, collecting a total of 2088 samples, were performed between 2008 and October 2017. The minimum and maximum concentration of As was observed in the Golestan area (0.01 ± 0.01 mg/kg d.w) and the Gillan region (3 mg/kg d.w); and Pb in the Shahrekord (0.07 ± 0.02 mg/kg d.w) and Mazandaran (35 mg/kg d.w). The meta-analysis of data showed that pooled concentration of As in the rice was 0.04 (95%CI: 0.02–0.06 mg/kg d.w), which resulted lower than the National Standard (NS) limits. However, the pooled concentration of Pb in the rice was 0.38 (95%CI: 0.25–0.5 mg/kg d.w), i.e., higher than NS limits. The heterogeneity was significant between As (I2 = 63%, P value = .003) and Pb (I2 = 96%, P value 10−3). Therefore a decreased level of heavy metals in rice cultivation should be encouraged and performed in next planning.

The ingestion of heavy metals through contaminated seafood can causes significant outcomes on human health. In recent years, consume fishes and shrimps has increased in Iran, and several study about heavy metals content in fishes and shrimps from Persian Gulf were carried out to check their food safety. The aims of these systematic reviews and meta-analysis was to summarize the evidence on the relation of the intakes of Arsenic (As) and lead (Pb) levels, based on the origin and sub-groups of shrimp species consumed, Hence that we can estimate the risk of oral cancer induced by Pb and As in these groups of shrimp from the persian gulf. We carried out a search of all suitable studies published between 1995 and 2017 in Scopus, Science Direct, PubMed and Web of Science databases. Since the heterogeneity among studied was significant, we used the random effect model (REM) to perform meta-analysis of data. Data were obtained from 9 articles (14 studies), with 511 samples, and it was reported that pooled levels of As and Pb in the muscle shrimps were 1.37 (95% CI: 0.66-2.08 mg/kg d.w.) and 0.58 (95% CI: 0.33-0.82 mg/kg d.w.), respectively. This pooled levels in muscle shrimps were higher than safe dose reported on Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization guidelines (FAO/WHO). The rank order of shrimps species based on As was Panulirus homarus Penaeus semisulcatus and for the Pb levels was Litopenaeus vannamei Panulirus homarus Fenneropenaeus indicus Metapenaeus affinis. The lowest and highest risk levels of oral cancer, divided by consumers age groups, were respectively 45-54 (6.94E-04) and 15-24 (8.42E-04) for the Pb, and 45-54 (2.87E-01) and 15-24 (3.51E-01) for arsenic. Incremental Lifetime Cancer Risk (ILCR) of Pb and As was higher than 10-4 and 10-3, respectively. All groups (age) of consumers are subject to the cancer risk of due to the consumption of shrimps contaminated by Pb and As, therefore, should be started a control plan for the reduction of the heavy metal bioaccumulation levels in shrimps of the Persian Gulf coupled to a capillary food safety communication.

Recently, the exposure to heavy metals through the consumption of vegetables has become a global concern. In this regard, the current study was aimed to measure the concentrations of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in the collected onion bulb samples as well as the surrounded soil using a flame atomic absorption spectrometer (FAAS). Additionally, the target hazard quotient (THQ) for males and females in all age groups of consumers were estimated by using Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) method. Furthermore, the soil threshold values (STVs) were evaluated to investigate the heavy metal contents in the soil based on the established standard limits. In this context, 45 onion bulbs (HashtBandi region, 25 and Ravang region, 20) and 41 soil (HashtBandi region, 21 and Ravang region, 20) samples were collected (March-May of 2016). The average concentrations of Pb in the onions from HashtBandi and Ravang regions were determined as 0.0052 ± 0.0011 and 0.0061 ± 0.0022 mg/kg, and for Cd were 0.0095 ± 0.0024 and 0.0011 ± 0.0035 mg/kg, respectively. The average concentration of Pb in the soil from HashtBandi and Ravang regions were measured as 3.99 ± 3.77 and 2.03 ± 0.69 mg/kg, and for Cd, the corresponding values were determined as 2.21 ± 3.17 and 2.22 ± 0.92 mg/kg, respectively. The average concentration of Pb and Cd in both investigated onion bulb and soil were lower than Iranian national (onion bulb: Pb = 0.1 mg/kg, Cd = 0.05 mg/kg) and FAO/WHO (onion bulb: Pb = 0.3 mg/kg, Cd = 0.1 mg/kg; soil: Pb = 50 mg/kg, Cd = 0.3 mg/kg) standard limits. Moreover, the THQ and total target hazard quotient (TTHQ) for males and females in all age groups were less than 1 value. Therefore, no risk of the exposure to Pb and Cd as result of onion bulb consumption was reported. STVs for Pb and Cd in the HashtBandi region were calculated as 3.99 and 2.21 mg/kg, and Ravang as 2.03 and 2.22 mg/kg, respectively. Due to the higher calculated STVs for Cd while compared with the established standard limit for the soil, the further revisions regarding the heavy metal standard limits in the soil were recommended.