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Fungal infections were observed on the coffee plant, this study aims to determine the types of fungi causing this pollution and the possibility of producing mycotoxins or not. so we make this study to isolate and identify the contaminating fungi that find in three types of Arabica coffee plants, which are common in the city of Jazan in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, namely (Khawlani, Luqmati and Harari) by using the dilution method on Potato Dextrose Agar media (PDA). The results showed that some coffee samples were contaminated with fungi, which belong to 5 fungal genera, most of which belong to the Ascomycetes fungi. The species Aspergillus niger had the highest percentage of appearance in the coffee samples, followed by Aspergillus flavus and then Penicillium sp. The ammonia detection results showed that most Aspergillus flavus and A. ochrous isolates produced mycotoxins, while all isolates of Aspergillus niger and Penicillium sp. do not produce aflatoxins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foodborne diseases can be attributed not only to contamination with bacterial or fungal pathogens but also their associated toxins. Thus, to maintain food safety, innovative decontamination techniques for toxins are required. We previously demonstrated that an atmospheric-pressure dielectric-barrier discharge (APDBD) plasma generated by a roller conveyer plasma device is effective at inactivating bacteria and fungi in foods. Here, we have further examined whether the roller conveyer plasma device can be used to degrade toxins produced by foodborne bacterial pathogens, including aflatoxin, Shiga toxins (Stx1 and Stx2), enterotoxin B and cereulide. Each toxin was spotted onto an aluminum plate, allowed to dry, and then treated with APDBD plasma applied by the roller conveyer plasma device for different time periods. Assessments were conducted using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The results demonstrate a significant time-dependent decrease in the levels of these toxins. ELISA showed that aflatoxin B1 concentrations were reduced from 308.6 µg/mL to 74.4 µg/mL within 1 min. For Shiga toxins, Stx1 decreased from 913.8 µg/mL to 65.1 µg/mL, and Stx2 from 2309.0 µg/mL to 187.6 µg/mL within the same time frame (1 min). Enterotoxin B levels dropped from 62.67 µg/mL to 1.74 µg/mL at 15 min, and 1.43 µg/mL at 30 min, but did not display a significant decrease within 5 min. LC-MS/MS analysis verified that cereulide was reduced to below the detection limit following 30 min of APDBD plasma treatment. Taken together, these findings highlight that a range of foodborne toxins can be degraded by a relatively short exposure to plasma generated by an APDBD using a roller conveyer device. This technology offers promising advancements in food safety, providing a novel method to alleviate toxin contamination in the food processing industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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BackgroundAflatoxin (AF) exposure is associated with child growth faltering in cross-sectional studies, with limited findings from longitudinal studies.ObjectivesTo evaluate the relationship between maternal AF B1-lysine adduct concentration, child AF B1-lysine adduct concentration, and child growth in the first 30 mo of life.MethodsAF B1-lysine adduct was measured in mother-child dyad plasma samples using isotope dilution mass spectrometry. Using linear regression, we assessed the relationship between AF B1-lysine adduct concentration and child weight, height, and head and mid-upper arm circumferences at 1 wk, 6, 12, 18, 24, and 30 mo of age.ResultsIn adjusted models, maternal prenatal AF B1-lysine adduct (pg/μL) was positively associated with newborn anthropometric outcomes; largest beta coefficients for associations between standardized values were for newborn weight-for-age z-score [β = 0.13; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.02, 0.24; P < 0.05 and β = 0.11; 95% CI: 0.00, 0.22; P < 0.05 for second and third trimester AF, respectively]. Child AF B1-lysine adduct (pg/μL) at 6 mo was negatively associated with head circumference-for-age z-score at 6, 18, 24, and 30 mo, with beta coefficients ranging from β = -0.15; 95% CI: -0.28, -0.02 to β = -0.17; 95% CI: -0.31, -0.03; P < 0.05); 18-mo AF was negatively associated with anthropometric outcomes at 18, 24, and 30 mo, most consistently with length-for-age z-score (β = -0.18; 95% CI: -0.32, -0.04, β = -0.21; 95% CI: -0.35, -0.07, β = -0.18; 95% CI: -0.32, -0.03 at 18, 24 and 30 mo, respectively).ConclusionsChild AF exposure was associated with impaired child growth, but maternal AF exposure was not. Exposure during infancy was linked to persistent deficit in head circumference, implying reduced brain size lasting beyond the age of 2 years. Exposure at 18 mo was linked to persistent linear growth deficit. Further research should elucidate mechanisms through which AF affects child growth.

Rapid identification of peanut seed quality is crucial for public health. In this study, we present a terahertz wave imaging system using a convolutional neural network (CNN) machine learning approach. Terahertz waves are capable of penetrating the seed shell to identify the quality of peanuts without causing any damage to the seeds. The specificity of seed quality on terahertz wave images is investigated, and the image characteristics of five different qualities are summarized. Terahertz wave images are digitized and used for training and testing of convolutional neural networks, resulting in a high model accuracy of 98.7% in quality identification. The trained THz-CNNs system can accurately identify standard, mildewed, defective, dried and germinated seeds, with an average detection time of 2.2 s. This process does not require any sample preparation steps such as concentration or culture. Our method swiftly and accurately assesses shelled seed quality non-destructively.

The potential of Raman hyperspectral imaging with a 785 nm excitation line laser was examined for the detection of aflatoxin contamination in corn kernels. Nine-hundred kernels were artificially inoculated in the laboratory, with 300 kernels each inoculated with AF13 (aflatoxigenic) fungus, AF36 (nonaflatoxigenic) fungus, and sterile distilled water (control). One-hundred kernels from each treatment were subsequently incubated for 3, 5, and 8 days. The mean spectra of single kernels were extracted from the endosperm side and the embryo area of the germ side, and local Raman peaks were identified based upon the calculated reference spectra of aflatoxin-negative and -positive categories separately. The principal component analysis-linear discriminant analysis models were established using different types of variable inputs including original full spectra, preprocessed full spectra, and identified local peaks over kernel endosperm-side, germ-side, and both sides. The results of the established discriminant models showed that the germ-side spectra performed better than the endosperm-side spectra. Based upon the 20 ppb-threshold, the best mean prediction accuracy of 82.6% was achieved for the aflatoxin-negative category using the original spectra in the combined form of both kernel sides, and the best mean prediction accuracy of 86.7% was obtained for the -positive category using the preprocessed germ-side spectra. Based upon the 100 ppb-threshold, the best mean prediction accuracies of 85.0% and 89.6% were achieved for the aflatoxin-negative and -positive categories separately, using the same type of variable inputs for the 20 ppb-threshold. In terms of overall prediction accuracy, the models established upon the original spectra in the combined form of both kernel sides achieved the best predictive performance, regardless of the threshold. The mean overall prediction accuracies of 81.8% and 84.5% were achieved with the 20 ppb- and 100 ppb-thresholds, respectively.

SUMMARY: The poor quality and safety of poultry feed in developing countries pose significant concerns as they negatively impact poultry performance and present potential health risks to human consumers. Aflatoxicosis, resulting from postharvest contamination of feed ingredients by certain mold species, severely affects birds' overall health and productivity. To address these challenges, various feed additives have become increasingly important in poultry nutrition. Phytogenics, natural plant-derived products, have gained popularity for their ability to mitigate aflatoxicosis by their rich composition of bioactive compounds that offer beneficial effects on physiological and immunological functions. In light of the growing significance of aflatoxicosis in poultry nutrition, this review provides an overview of aflatoxins and their harmful effects on poultry health. It highlights the role of phytogenic compounds as growth and health stimulators, emphasizing their potential application in poultry nutrition. Furthermore, the review explores the antioxidant and immunological mechanisms through which phytogenics mitigate aflatoxicosis in poultry, including specific compounds and pathways involved. The findings reveal that aflatoxins induce inflammation, and oxidative stress in poultry, resulting in cellular damage and immune dysfunction. Phytogenics play a crucial role in ameliorating the harmful effects of aflatoxins in birds by countering aflatoxin-induced oxidative stress, reducing inflammation, and restoring gut health and immune functions. In conclusion, phytogenics offer an invaluable tool for the mitigation of aflatoxicosis in poultry and serve as potent natural and safe alternatives to antibiotics and synthetic antioxidants, promoting sustainable production practices.

Aflatoxins, potent carcinogens produced by Aspergillus species (A. flavus and A. parasiticus), are primarily consumed through dietary sources. Aflatoxin management using non-aflatoxigenic Aspergillus to outcompete their aflatoxigenic congeneric to achieve low residual toxin levels is a promising biological control (BC) field intervention. A prerequisite for the BC program is the accurate delineation of aflatoxigenic fungi from their non-aflatoxigenic relatives. In this study, we use three methods: Chemical (Dichlorvos-ammonia), Metabolic (ELISA coupled live cultures), and Molecular (10 aflatoxin biosynthetic genes) to determine the aflatoxigenicity of Aspergillus spp. previously collected from Eastern Kenya, an aflatoxin hotspot. Thirty-six different Aspergillus isolates were identified and studied microscopically from a total of 314 fungal cultures. The chemical method reported 21 aflatoxigenic and 15 non-aflatoxigenic isolates, while the metabolic technique distinguished 20 aflatoxigenic and 16 non-aflatoxigenic isolates. A large proportion (97.22 %) of the isolates harboured the aflR, aflO, and aflM genes, while 91.67 % of the isolates possessed the aflS gene. All isolates (100 %) harboured the aflD, aflQ, aflP, and aflK genes. ELISA-coupled live cultures positively correlated with Dichlorvos-ammonia (p > 0.01), only differing in one sample, indicating a strong concurrence between the two methods at segregating toxigenic A. flavus isolates. Cluster analysis based on Multiple Correspondence revealed that the non-aflatoxigenic group exhibited similar characteristics correlating with the absence of aflR, aflS, aflI, and aflO genes. These findings indicate the reliability of the Chemical and Metabolic methods and can function as confirmatory assays to complement the molecular detection approach in determining aflatoxigenicity among Aspergillus spp.

Abstract Aflatoxin, mainly produced by Aspergillus flavus, is one of the most notorious mycotoxin for its toxicity and carcinogenicity. Despite extensive efforts, effective strategies to control A. flavus and AFB1 contamination remain elusive. Here, we investigate the potential of p‐anisaldehyde (AS), an aldehyde derived from plant essential oils, as a natural antifungal agent against A. flavus and its ability to modulate AFB1 biosynthesis. We found that AS exhibited broad‐spectrum antifungal activities against Aspergillus spp. and effectively inhibited A. flavus asexual development, AFB1 production, and pathogenicity. AS treatment disrupted the cell surface structure and membrane integrity, as observed by scanning electron microscopy and PI staining. RNA‐sequencing analysis revealed that AS significantly altered the expression of genes involved in redox homeostasis, plasma membrane function, and cell cycle progression. Further investigation demonstrated that AS induced a reduction in mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) and accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase. The AS‐induced ROS accumulation was found to be mitigated by the superoxide dismutase‐mediated antioxidant system, which is regulated by transcriptional factor Ap1. Notably, the Ap1‐regulatory ROS detoxification system was also found to be involved in A. flavus pathogenicity and AFB1 production. Overall, these findings provide valuable insights into the inhibitory mechanism of AS against A. flavus, paving the way for its potential application as a natural strategy to mitigate AFB1 contamination in both food and agriculture crops.

Abstract Maize (Zea mays), a major food crop worldwide, is susceptible to infection by the saprophytic fungus Aspergillus flavus that can produce the carcinogenic metabolite aflatoxin (AF) especially under climate change induced abiotic stressors that favor mold growth. Several studies have used “-omics” approaches to identify genetic elements with potential roles in AF resistance, but there is a lack of research identifying the involvement of small RNAs such as microRNAs (miRNAs) in maize-A. flavus interaction. In this study, we compared the miRNA profiles of three maize lines (resistant TZAR102, moderately resistant MI82, and susceptible Va35) at 8 h, 3 d, and 7 d after A. flavus infection to investigate possible regulatory antifungal role of miRNAs. A total of 316 miRNAs (275 known and 41 putative novel) belonging to 115 miRNA families were identified in response to the fungal infection across all three maize lines. Eighty-two unique miRNAs were significantly differentially expressed with 39 miRNAs exhibiting temporal differential regulation irrespective of the maize genotype, which targeted 544 genes (mRNAs) involved in diverse molecular functions. The two most notable biological processes involved in plant immunity, namely cellular responses to oxidative stress (GO:00345990) and reactive oxygen species (GO:0034614) were significantly enriched in the resistant line TZAR102. Coexpression network analysis identified 34 hubs of miRNA-mRNA pairs where nine hubs had a node in the module connected to their target gene with potentially important roles in resistance/susceptible response of maize to A. flavus. The miRNA hubs in resistance modules (TZAR102 and MI82) were mostly connected to transcription factors and protein kinases. Specifically, the module of miRNA zma-miR156b-nb – squamosa promoter binding protein (SBP), zma-miR398a-3p – SKIP5, and zma-miR394a-5p – F-box protein 6 combinations in the resistance-associated modules were considered important candidates for future functional studies.

Abstract Background Aspergillus flavus is an important agricultural and food safety threat due to its production of carcinogenic aflatoxins. It has high level of genetic diversity that is adapted to various environments. Recently, we reported two reference genomes of A. flavus isolates, AF13 (MAT1-2 and highly aflatoxigenic isolate) and NRRL3357 (MAT1-1 and moderate aflatoxin producer). Where, an insertion of 310 kb in AF13 included an aflatoxin producing gene bZIP transcription factor, named atfC. Observations of significant genomic variants between these isolates of contrasting phenotypes prompted an investigation into variation among other agricultural isolates of A. flavus with the goal of discovering novel genes potentially associated with aflatoxin production regulation. Present study was designed with three main objectives: (1) collection of large number of A. flavus isolates from diverse sources including maize plants and field soils; (2) whole genome sequencing of collected isolates and development of a pangenome; and (3) pangenome-wide association study (Pan-GWAS) to identify novel secondary metabolite cluster genes. Results Pangenome analysis of 346 A. flavus isolates identified a total of 17,855 unique orthologous gene clusters, with mere 41% (7,315) core genes and 59% (10,540) accessory genes indicating accumulation of high genomic diversity during domestication. 5,994 orthologous gene clusters in accessory genome not annotated in either the A. flavus AF13 or NRRL3357 reference genomes. Pan-genome wide association analysis of the genomic variations identified 391 significant associated pan-genes associated with aflatoxin production. Interestingly, most of the significantly associated pan-genes (94%; 369 associations) belonged to accessory genome indicating that genome expansion has resulted in the incorporation of new genes associated with aflatoxin and other secondary metabolites. Conclusion In summary, this study provides complete pangenome framework for the species of Aspergillus flavus along with associated genes for pathogen survival and aflatoxin production. The large accessory genome indicated large genome diversity in the species A. flavus, however AflaPan is a closed pangenome represents optimum diversity of species A. flavus. Most importantly, the newly identified aflatoxin producing gene clusters will be a new source for seeking aflatoxin mitigation strategies and needs new attention in research.

ABSTRACT Aflatoxin, produced by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus paraciticus, commonly contaminates agricultural and processed products. This study aims to analyze aflatoxin levels in fried onions produced in Palu through high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using an immunoaffinity column an a fluorescent detector at an excitation wavelength of 360 nm and an emission wavelength of 440 nm. The standard working chromatogram of aflatoxin gave a peak response at retention times of 28.618 minutes for aflatoxin B1, 21.985 minutes for aflatoxin B2, 17.625 minutes for aflatoxinn G1, and 13.719 minutes for aflatoxin G2. The limit of detection (LOD) values for each standard were : aflatoxin B1 : 0.2607 ng/ml; aflatoxin B2 : 0.0600 ng/ml; aflatoxin G1 : 0.1986 ng/ml; and aflatoxin G2 : 0.0310 ng/ml. The chromatogram results of the 10 fried onion samples analyzed showed no peak response with the same retention time as the standard aflatoxin retention time, so that the 10 samples can be concluded as meet requirements. Keywords: Aflatoxin, HPLC, Immunoaffinity colum, P Palu fried shallot

Objectives: This investigation aimed to assess the growth response of Nubian goats to the inclusion of Nigella sativa (NS) seeds in a ration contaminated with aflatoxin (AF). Materials and Methods: Twenty healthy, growing male goats were randomly assigned to five groups in a completely randomized design. The control group was provided with a basic ration, whereas the treatment groups were subjected to an identical ration contaminated with 150 ppb of AF (AF + NS-0), supplemented with crushed NS seeds at levels of 2% (AF + NS-2), 4% (AF + NS-4), and 6% (AF + NS-6) of total dry matter. Daily feed intake and weekly body weight were recorded to evaluate growth parameters such as dry matter intake (DMI), average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and protein efficiency ratio (PER). Results: AF contamination significantly suppressed DMI, ADG, FCR, and PER, whereas NS seed supplementation improved ADG, FCR, and PER. The weekly DMI did not differ significantly between the control group and those supplemented with NS seeds in the AF-contaminated ration. Over the 6-week experimental period, NS seed supplementation exhibited a positive impact on growth performance, with the 6% NS seed supplementation showing superior effects. The study highlighted a strong correlation between growth parameters and NS levels, supported by higher R2 values. Conclusion: The findings recommend a 6% NS seed supplementation in goat rations as a potential strategy to mitigate suspected AF contamination. Further examinations are necessary to explore the potential protective effects of NS seeds on different animal species exposed to rations contaminated with AF. [Vet. Res. Notes 2024; 4(3.000): 30-37]

The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is a powerful and high-throughput method for detecting aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in food. However, the susceptibility of native enzymes to environmental factors limits their potential applications. This study introduces the combined use of precious metal nanozymes as alternative catalysts to improve the performance of traditional ELISA. Au@Pt can be linked to antibodies to construct recognition probes, onto which platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) are ingeniously deposited in situ to amplify the detection signal, thereby increasing the sensitivity. The proposed PtNP-enhanced Au@Pt-ELISA exhibited excellent resistance against matrix interference for AFB1 detection in lotus seed powder and achieved a detection limit of 1.6 pg/mL (0.32 μg/kg), which was approximately six times lower than that of traditional ELISA. Furthermore, the results of the proposed approach were strongly correlated with LC–MS/MS analysis results for real samples (r = 0.9888, n = 13). This study offers a new strategy for AFB1 monitoring in a complex matrix.

Fungal toxins in local food supplies are a critical environmental health risk to communities globally. To better characterize hypothesized toxin control points among households, we conducted household surveys across four departments (first administrative division) in Guatemala. Data gathered included maize harvesting, processing, storage, and traditional nixtamalization practices. In total, n = 33 households participated in the survey and were from 4 unique departments, 17 unique municipalities, and represented 4 different languages. The results suggested that the majority of households consumed a combination of personally cultivated and purchased maize. There was significant variation in how this maize was stored, in regards to pre-processing (kernel vs whole cob), as well as storage system type. For nixtamalization, the largest differences in practices (e.g., cooking time) were based on household size while the majority of households reported practices that aligned with previously reported best practices. Lastly, all reported maize-based food products produced by households utilized the nixtamalization process except one. Current maize handling and nixtamalization practices reported by a majority of households aligned with best practices, however, with locally tailored and culturally sensitive guidance disseminated by key stakeholders, the prevalence of best practice use among households can be improved. Further community-based research on traditional farming and nixtamalization practices can improve these recommendations.

AbstractThe traditional cooking of dry maize grain for preparing either boiled maize (nifro) or roasted maize (qollo) in Ethiopia is preceded by soaking dry maize in water for a certain time. This study aimed to assess the practice of soaking dry maize grain and determine the effect of soaking water volume (0, 200 or 300 ml per 100 g), soaking time (12 or 48 h), soaking water temperature (warm or cold water) and type of cooking method (boiling and roasting) on the aflatoxin content of traditional Ethiopian cooked maize, nifro and qollo. The survey and laboratory experiments used semi-structured interview questionnaire and fractional factorial design, respectively. Aflatoxins were extracted from aflatoxigenic Aspergillus flavus spores inoculated onto raw maize, soaked in water and finally cooked by boiling or roasting of the soaked maize grain. Cleanup was done using Immuno Affinity Column and analyzed using Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography with fluorescence detector. Soaking dry maize grain in excess water (300 ml water/100 g maize) varying the soaking water temperature and duration before boiling and roasting had resulted in significant total aflatoxin reduction (p

Aims: The current review aims to outline and summarize the latest research on aflatoxin, with research studies describing natural, herbal and chemical compound applications in animal (pig) models and in vitro cellular studies. Aflatoxin, a carcinogenic toxin metabolite, is produced by Aspergillus flavus in humid environments, posing a threat to human health and crop production. The current treatment involves the prevention of exposure to aflatoxin and counteracting its harmful toxic effects, enabling survival and research studies on an antidote for aflatoxin. Objectives: To summarize current research prospects and to outline the influence of aflatoxin on animal forage in farm production, food and crop processing. The research application of remedies to treat aflatoxin is undergoing development to pinpoint biochemical pathways responsible for aflatoxin effects transmission and actions of treatment. Significance: To underline the environmental stress of aflatoxin on meat and dairy products; to describe clinical syndromes associated with aflatoxicosis on human health that are counteracted with proposed treatment and preventive interventions. To understand how to improve the health of farm animals with feed conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize (Zea mays), a major food crop worldwide, is susceptible to infection by the saprophytic fungus Aspergillus flavus that can produce the carcinogenic metabolite aflatoxin (AF) especially under climate change induced abiotic stressors that favor mold growth. Several studies have used "-omics" approaches to identify genetic elements with potential roles in AF resistance, but there is a lack of research identifying the involvement of small RNAs such as microRNAs (miRNAs) in maize-A. flavus interaction. In this study, we compared the miRNA profiles of three maize lines (resistant TZAR102, moderately resistant MI82, and susceptible Va35) at 8 h, 3 d, and 7 d after A. flavus infection to investigate possible regulatory antifungal role of miRNAs. A total of 316 miRNAs (275 known and 41 putative novel) belonging to 115 miRNA families were identified in response to the fungal infection across all three maize lines. Eighty-two unique miRNAs were significantly differentially expressed with 39 miRNAs exhibiting temporal differential regulation irrespective of the maize genotype, which targeted 544 genes (mRNAs) involved in diverse molecular functions. The two most notable biological processes involved in plant immunity, namely cellular responses to oxidative stress (GO:00345990) and reactive oxygen species (GO:0034614) were significantly enriched in the resistant line TZAR102. Coexpression network analysis identified 34 hubs of miRNA-mRNA pairs where nine hubs had a node in the module connected to their target gene with potentially important roles in resistance/susceptible response of maize to A. flavus. The miRNA hubs in resistance modules (TZAR102 and MI82) were mostly connected to transcription factors and protein kinases. Specifically, the module of miRNA zma-miR156b-nb – squamosa promoter binding protein (SBP), zma-miR398a-3p – SKIP5, and zma-miR394a-5p – F-box protein 6 combinations in the resistance-associated modules were considered important candidates for future functional studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aspergillus flavus is an important agricultural and food safety threat due to its production of carcinogenic aflatoxins. It has high level of genetic diversity that is adapted to various environments. Recently, we reported two reference genomes of A. flavus isolates, AF13 (MAT1-2 and highly aflatoxigenic isolate) and NRRL3357 (MAT1-1 and moderate aflatoxin producer). Where, an insertion of 310 kb in AF13 included an aflatoxin producing gene bZIP transcription factor, named atfC. Observations of significant genomic variants between these isolates of contrasting phenotypes prompted an investigation into variation among other agricultural isolates of A. flavus with the goal of discovering novel genes potentially associated with aflatoxin production regulation. Present study was designed with three main objectives: (1) collection of large number of A. flavus isolates from diverse sources including maize plants and field soils; (2) whole genome sequencing of collected isolates and development of a pangenome; and (3) pangenome-wide association study (Pan-GWAS) to identify novel secondary metabolite cluster genes. Results: Pangenome analysis of 346 A. flavus isolates identified a total of 17,855 unique orthologous gene clusters, with mere 41% (7,315) core genes and 59% (10,540) accessory genes indicating accumulation of high genomic diversity during domestication. 5,994 orthologous gene clusters in accessory genome not annotated in either the A. flavus AF13 or NRRL3357 reference genomes. Pan-genome wide association analysis of the genomic variations identified 391 significant associated pan-genes associated with aflatoxin production. Interestingly, most of the significantly associated pan-genes (94%; 369 associations) belonged to accessory genome indicating that genome expansion has resulted in the incorporation of new genes associated with aflatoxin and other secondary metabolites. Conclusion: In summary, this study provides complete pangenome framework for the species of Aspergillus flavus along with associated genes for pathogen survival and aflatoxin production. The large accessory genome indicated large genome diversity in the species A. flavus, however AflaPan is a closed pangenome represents optimum diversity of species A. flavus. Most importantly, the newly identified aflatoxin producing gene clusters will be a new source for seeking aflatoxin mitigation strategies and needs new attention in research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims To develop antifungal lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and investigate their antifungal mechanisms against Aspergillus flavus in aflatoxin (AF) production. Methods and results We isolated 179 LABs from cereal-based fermentation starters and investigated their antifungal mechanism against A. flavus through liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and co-culture analysis techniques. Of the 179 isolates, antifungal activity was identified in Pediococcus pentosaceus, Lactobacillus crustorum , and Weissella paramesenteroides. These LABs reduced AF concentration by (i) inhibiting mycelial growth, (ii) binding AF to the cell wall, and (iii) producing antifungal compounds. Species-specific activities were also observed, with P. pentosaceus inhibiting AF production and W. paramesenteroides showing AF B1 binding activity. In addition, crucial extracellular metabolites for selecting antifungal LAB were involved in the 2′,3′-cAMP-adenosine and nucleoside pathways. Conclusions This study demonstrates that P. pentosaceus, L. crustorum , and W. paramesenteroides are key LAB strains with distinct antifungal mechanisms against A. flavus , suggesting their potential as biological agents to reduce AF in food materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fungal cell wall serves as the primary interface between fungi and their external environment, providing protection and facilitating interactions with the surroundings. Chitin is a vital structural element in fungal cell wall. Chitin deacetylase (CDA) can transform chitin into chitosan through deacetylation, providing various biological functions across fungal species. Although this modification is widespread in fungi, the biological functions of CDA enzymes in Aspergillus flavus remain largely unexplored. In this study, we aimed to investigate the biofunctions of the CDA family in A. flavus. The A. flavus genome contains six annotated putative chitin deacetylases. We constructed knockout strains targeting each member of the CDA family, including Δcda1, Δcda2, Δcda3, Δcda4, Δcda5, and Δcda6. Functional analyses revealed that the deletion of CDA family members neither significantly affects the chitin content nor exhibits the expected chitin deacetylation function in A. flavus. However, the Δcda6 strain displayed distinct phenotypic characteristics compared to the wild-type (WT), including an increased conidia count, decreased mycelium production, heightened aflatoxin production, and impaired seed colonization. Subcellular localization experiments indicated the cellular localization of CDA6 protein within the cell wall of A. flavus filaments. Moreover, our findings highlight the significance of the CBD1 and CBD2 structural domains in mediating the functional role of the CDA6 protein. Overall, we analyzed the gene functions of CDA family in A. flavus, which contribute to a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying aflatoxin contamination and lay the groundwork for potential biocontrol strategies targeting A. flavus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and fumonisin B1 (FB1) are mycotoxins widely distributed in maize and maized-based products, often occurring together. The implications of co-exposure to aflatoxin and fumonsin for human health are numerous, but a particular concern is the potential of FB1 to modulate AFB1 hepatotoxicity. This study evaluated the toxicity of these mycotoxins, alone or combined, in a human non-tumorigenic liver cell line, HHL-16 cells, and assessed the effects of AFB1 and FB1 on expression of genes involved in immune and growth factor pathways. The results demonstrated that in HHL-16 cells, both AFB1 and FB1 had dose-dependent and time-dependent toxicity, and the combination of them showed a synergistic toxicity in the cells. Moreover, AFB1 caused upregulation of IL6 , CCL20 , and BMP2 , and downregulation of NDP. In combination of AFB1 with FB1, gene expression levels of IL6 and BMP2 were significantly higher compared to individual FB1 treatment, and had a tendency to be higher than individual AFB1 treatment. This study shows that FB1 may increase the hepatoxicity of AFB1 through increasing the inflammatory response and disrupting cell growth pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was conducted to investigate the pathology of naturally occurring co-contamination of mycotoxins in poultry farms and the role of local management practices in the overall scenario. During the investigation, different chicken farms (n=73) in the Aizawl district of Mizoram state (India) were surveyed and monitored for management practices, the occurrence of disease and mortality. The feed samples collected from affected farms were tested for the presence of Aflatoxin and Ochratoxin by ELISA kits. The dead birds were subjected to necropsy. Liver and kidneys from the dead birds were processed for histopathological studies. Ten feed samples out of 49 tested (20.4%) were found affected by co-contamination with Aflatoxin and Ochratoxin. In this study, the mean level of Aflatoxin and Ochratoxin was 13.302 ppb and1.822 ppb, and the median level 12.143 ppb and1.674, ppb, respectively. Clinical signs were ruffled feathers, depression, dullness, huddling, poor growth and, anorexia. Necropsy revealed pathological lesions in visceral and lymphoid organs. Histopathological findings were inflammations, degenerative, and necrotic lesions in liver and kidneys. Poor management practices were observed in affected farms. A perusal of available literature did not reveal any study on the presence of co-contamination of Mycotoxicosis in poultry and poultry feed in Aizawl, Mizoram. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood stunting is a global phenomenon affecting more than 149 million children under the age of 5 worldwide. Exposure to aflatoxins (AFs) in utero, during breastfeeding, and consumption of contaminated food affect the gut microbiome, resulting in intestinal dysfunction and potentially contributing to stunting. This review explores the potential relationship between AF exposure, environmental enteropathy and childhood stunting. AFs bind to DNA, disrupt protein synthesis and elicit environmental enteropathy (EE). An EE alters the structure of intestinal epithelial cells, impairs nutrient uptake and leads to malabsorption. This article proposes possible intervention strategies for researchers and policymakers to reduce AF exposure, EE and childhood stunting, such as exposure reduction, the implementation of good agricultural practices, dietary diversification and improving environmental water sanitation and hygiene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Agriculture & Nature / Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam Üniversitesi Tarım & Doğa Dergisi is the property of Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam Universitesi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: Identification of chemical toxins from complex or highly processed foods can present 'needle in the haystack' challenges for chemists. Metagenomic data can be used to guide chemical toxicity evaluations by providing DNA-based description of the wholistic composition (eukaryotic, bacterial, protozoal, viral, and antimicrobial resistance) of foods suspected to harbor toxins, allergens, or pathogens. This type of information can focus chemistry-based diagnostics, improve hazard characterization and risk assessment, and address data gaps. Additionally, there is increasing recognition that simultaneously co-occurring mycotoxins, either from single or multiple species, can impact dietary toxicity exposure. Metagenomic data provides a way to address data gaps related to cooccurrence of multiple fungal species. Methods: Paired metagenomic and chemical data were used to evaluate aflatoxin-contaminated kibble with known levels of specific mycotoxins. Kibble was ground to a fine powder for both chemical and molecular analyses. Chemical analyses were performed with Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (LCMS) and according to the AOAC Official method 2005.08: Aflatoxins in Corn, Raw Peanuts, and Peanut Butter using Liquid Chromatography with Post-Column Photochemical Derivatization. Metagenomes were created from DNA extracted from ground kibble and sequenced on an Illumina NextSeq 2000 with an average sequence depth of 180 million reads per replicate. Results and discussion: Metagenomic data demonstrated that the abundance of DNA from putative aflatoxigenic Aspergillus spp. correlated with the levels of aflatoxin quantified by LCMS. Metagenomic data also identified an expansive range of co-occurring fungal taxa which may produce additional mycotoxins. DNA data paired with chemical data provides a novel modality to address current data gaps surrounding dietary mycotoxin exposure, toxigenic fungal taxonomy, and mycotoxins of emerging concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aspergillus flavus is a ubiquitous pathogen that can infect many foods and grains, and it produces large amounts of aflatoxins during their storage. Aflatoxins are considered highly toxic and carcinogenic to humans, and they cause great damage to crop production, food security, and human health. Thus, controlling A. flavus and aflatoxins in grains presents a great challenge to humans worldwide. Over the past decade, many strategies have been demonstrated to be useful in controlling A. flavus and aflatoxins during food storage. These methods involve physical agents, chemical agents, biological agents, etc. Some of these methods are currently used in actual production. In this review, we summarize the reported methods for controlling A. flavus and aflatoxins during food storage in the past ten years and elucidate their advantages and disadvantages. The methods discussed include irradiation technology; low oxygen atmospheres; chemical fungicides (benzalkonium chloride, iodine, ammonium bicarbonate, and phenolic and azole compounds); biological agents from plants, animals, and micro-organisms; and aflatoxin elimination methods. We expect that this review will promote the applications of current strategies and be useful for the development of novel technologies to prevent or eliminate A. flavus and aflatoxins in food and feed during storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review explores the repercussions of mycotoxin contamination in food and feed, emphasising potential threats to agriculture, animal husbandry and public health. The primary objective is to make a comprehensive assessment of the neurotoxic consequences of mycotoxin exposure, an aspect less explored in current literature. Emphasis is placed on prominent mycotoxins, including aflatoxins, fumonisins, zearalenone (ZEA) and ochratoxins, known for inducing acute and chronic diseases such as liver damage, genetic mutation and cancer. To elucidate the effects, animal studies were conducted, revealing an association between mycotoxin exposure and neurological damage. This encompasses impairments in learning and memory, motor alterations, anxiety and depression. The underlying mechanisms involve oxidative stress, disrupting the balance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant capacity. This oxidative stress is linked to neuronal damage, brain inflammation, neurochemical imbalance, and subsequent behavioural changes. The review underscores the need for preventive measures against mycotoxin exposure. While complete avoidance is ideal, exploration into the potential use of antioxidants as a viable solution is discussed, given the widespread contamination of many food products. Specifically, the protective role of natural compounds, such as polyphenols, is highlighted, showcasing their efficacy in mitigating mycotoxicosis in the central nervous system (CNS), as evidenced by findings in various animal models. In summary, countering mycotoxin-induced neurotoxicity requires a multifaceted approach. The identified natural compounds show promise, but their practical use hinges on factors like bioavailability, toxicity and understanding their mechanisms of action. Extensive research is crucial, considering the diverse responses to different mycotoxins and neurological conditions. Successful implementation relies on factors such as the specific mycotoxin(s) involved and achievable effective concentrations. Further research and clinical trials are imperative to establish the safety and efficacy of these compounds in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Mycotoxins, which are secondary metabolites of fungi, have several adverse effects on both animal and human organisms. Because of climate change, mycotoxins are gradually spreading from the south to the north and west in Europe, causing a growing risk for feed and food. The toxic influences of mycotoxins are intensively studied in domestic animals, but much less is known about the game species. Reproductive abnormalities have been observed in a valuable game species, the fallow deer. We supposed mycotoxin contamination to be one of the possible causes because it is known to be dangerous even at low toxin levels, especially for young animals. As the mycotoxin exposure of the fallow deer living in a forest–agriculture complex habitat is not known, our goals were (i) to determine the mycotoxin presence in hinds; (ii) to detect the spatial and individual variability in mycotoxin levels; and (iii) to reveal the mycotoxin concentration in the fetuses in relation to their mothers. A total of 72 fallow deer embryos and their mothers were sampled in seven forested regions in Hungary in the 2020/2021 hunting season. Mycotoxin metabolites were analyzed by ELISA from the liver tissue. We detected the studied mycotoxins (Aflatoxin, Zearalenone, Fumonisin B1, DON, T2/HT2-toxin) in 41–96% of fallow deer hinds and 3–98% of the fetuses. All mycotoxins were passed into the fetus, but only Fumonisin B1 rarely passed. The individual variability of mycotoxin levels was extremely high, which obscured the spatial differences among the study sites. We concluded a possible accumulation of ZEA and DON in the fetuses because of the higher concentrations in the fetus than in the hind. These results reflect the potential threats of mycotoxins to the population dynamics and reproduction of wild fallow deer. Reproductive abnormalities have been observed in fallow deer populations in Hungary. We supposed mycotoxin contamination to be one of the possible causes because multi-mycotoxin contamination is known to be dangerous even at low toxin levels, especially for young animals. We investigated the spatial pattern of mycotoxin occurrences and the relationship between maternal and fetal mycotoxin levels. A total of 72 fallow deer embryos and their mothers were sampled in seven forested regions in Hungary in the 2020/2021 hunting season. We analyzed Aflatoxin (AF), Zearalenone (ZEA), Fumonizin B1 (FB1), DON, and T2-toxin concentrations in maternal and fetal livers by ELISA. AF was present in 70% and 82%, ZEA in 41% and 96%, DON in 90% and 98%, T2-toxin in 96% and 85%, and FB1 in 84% and 3% of hind and fetus livers, respectively. All mycotoxins passed into the fetus, but only Fumonizin B1 rarely passed. The individual variability of mycotoxin levels was extremely high, but the spatial differences were moderate. We could not prove a relation between the maternal and fetal mycotoxin concentrations, but we found an accumulation of ZEA and DON in the fetuses. These results reflect the possible threats of mycotoxins to the population dynamics and reproduction of wild fallow deer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Velvet (VeA), a light-regulated protein that shuttles between the cytoplasm and the nucleus, serves as a key global regulator of secondary metabolism in various Aspergillus species and plays a pivotal role in controlling multiple developmental processes. The gene vepN was chosen for further investigation through CHIP-seq analysis due to significant alterations in its interaction with VeA under varying conditions. This gene (AFLA_006970) contains a Septin-type guanine nucleotide-binding (G) domain, which has not been previously reported in Aspergillus flavus (A. flavus). The functional role of vepN in A. flavus was elucidated through the creation of a gene knockout mutant and a gene overexpression strain using a well-established dual-crossover recombinational technique. A comparison between the wild type (WT) and the ΔvepN mutant revealed distinct differences in morphology, reproductive capacity, colonization efficiency, and aflatoxin production. The mutant displayed reduced growth rate; dispersion of conidial heads; impaired cell wall integrity; and decreased sclerotia formation, colonization capacity, and aflatoxin levels. Notably, ΔvepN exhibited complete growth inhibition under specific stress conditions, highlighting the essential role of vepN in A. flavus. This study provides evidence that vepN positively influences aflatoxin production, morphological development, and pathogenicity in A. flavus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aflatoxin contamination remains a major global food safety challenge, with serious implications on agriculture and public health. Kenya has frequently experienced outbreaks of acute and chronic aflatoxin poisoning over the years with adverse human health effects. Farmers respond to incidences of aflatoxin contamination using a myriad of control practices. This study evaluates the choice of aflatoxin contamination control practices among smallholder maize farmers in Kilifi County, an aflatoxin hotspot in the Coast region of Kenya. A Poisson regression model was employed on a sample of 270 farmers selected using a multistage sampling technique. The aflatoxin contamination control practices used by maize farmers in Kilifi County can broadly be categorized into pre-harvest practices (timely planting, pest control, use of improved seed varieties, and early harvesting) and postharvest practices (sorting, proper drying, and use of storage pesticides). The Poisson regression estimates reveal that aflatoxin awareness, access to extension services, wealth status, and gender were the most important drivers of farmers choice of aflatoxin contamination control practices in Kilifi County. Thus, policy initiatives that improve farmers awareness and access to information are recommended in improving maize farmers aflatoxin contamination knowledge and uptake of management practices. To be effective, such interventions must address gender and wealth differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycotoxins are toxic mycological products that when consumed, absorbed or inhaled cause sickness or even the death of humans. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the contamination levels of mycotoxins (aflatoxins, AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2, and ochratoxin A, OTA) in selected medicinal herbs and shrubs using thin‐layer chromatography (TLC) and high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A total of 15 samples of medicinal herbs and shrubs were selected. Among them, four samples were aflatoxin contaminated while two samples were ochratoxin A contaminated. The highest level of aflatoxin was detected in Justicia adhathoda (4,704.94 ppb) through HPLC (153.4 ppb) and through TLC, while the lowest level of aflatoxin was detected in Pegnum harmala (205.1 ppb) through HPLC. Similarly, the highest level of OTA was detected in Dodonia viscosa (0.53 ppb) through HPLC (0.5 ppb) and through TLC, while the lowest level was detected in J. adhathoda (O.11 ppb) through HPLC (0.4 ppb) and through TLC. The OTA concentration was very low, being negligible and below permissible limits. The present study concludes that there is a potential risk for the consumption of herbal decoctions. Therefore, regular monitoring and proper management of mycotoxins, including aflatoxins and OTA, in herbal medicines are needed to ensure the safety of herbal drugs to protect consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Food & Fermentation Industries is the property of Food & Fermentation Industries and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

BACKGROUND: Laboratory‐scale experiments have shown that treatment with selective lignin‐degrading white‐rot fungi improves the nutritional value and ruminal degradability of lignocellulosic biomass (LCB). However, the lack of effective field‐applicable pasteurization methods has long been recognized as a major obstacle for scaling up the technique for fungal treatment of large quantities of LCB for animal feeding. In this study, wheat straw (an LCB substrate) was subjected to four field‐applicable pasteurization methods – hot‐water, formaldehyde fumigation, steam, and hydrated lime – and cultured with Pleurotus ostreatus grain spawn for 10, 20, and 30 days under solid‐state fermentation. Samples of untreated, pasteurized but non‐inoculated and fungus‐treated straws were analyzed for chemical composition, aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), in vitro total gas (IVGP), methane (CH4), and volatile fatty acid (VFA) production. RESULTS: During the 30‐day fungal treatment, steam and lime pasteurized straws had the greatest loss of lignin, resulting in marked improvements in crude protein (CP), IVDMD, IVGP, and total VFAs. Irrespective of the pasteurization method, the increase in IVDMD during fungal treatment was linearly (R2 = 0.77–0.92) related to lignin‐loss in the substrate during fungal treatment. The CH4 production of the fungus‐treated straw was not affected by the pasteurization methods. Aflatoxin B1 was within the safe level (<5 μg kg−1) in all pasteurized, fungus treated straws. CONCLUSION: Steam and lime were promising field‐applicable pasteurization techniques to produce nutritionally improved fungus‐treated wheat straw to feed ruminants. Lime pasteurization was more economical and did not require expensive energy inputs. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycotoxins are fungal secondary metabolites known as global concerns on humans and livestock health regarding to their toxicity and carcinogenicity. Increasing demand for fast, simple and low-cost detection of these compounds, especially on-site, have been lead to develop various biosensors. Although antibodies have been the most widely used diagnostic probes in biosensors for several decades but monoclonal antibody production is difficult for mycotoxins as small and non-immunogenic molecules. Therefore, aptameric probes have been emerged as a new technology for mycotoxin monitoring. Aptamers are single-stranded oligonucleotides that detect target molecule by folding into a three-dimensional conformation, with a binding affinity equal to that of monoclonal antibodies. Aptamers have been considered as the most important competitors of antibodies for biosensor development regarding to their significant advantages in terms of no limiting in target type, smaller size, higher stability, synthetic nature and low cost. Exploiting aptameric probes in biosensor designing have been led to aptasensors development for specific and sensitive tracking of target molecules, and mycotoxins. The aptameric probes, experimental screening methodology, various aptasensors and their applications in detecting mycotoxins has been described, and discussed in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contamination of oilseed feeds with mycotoxigenic fungi is a major threat to human health. In Algeria there is rather little information about the natural occurrence of mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins in human food. The objective of this study is to determine, the phytochemical properties and the antimicrobial activity of the aqueous extract obtained from the aerial parts of Globularia alypum, were investigated for their activities against pathogenic bacterium and strains known to be aflatoxigenic isolated from almonds, pistachios, and peanuts. Thirty samples of oilseed (almonds, pistachios, and peanuts) in total were collected from markets of Bechar town, southwest of Algeria. Dilution method was employed for the isolation of fungal strains, and the identification was carried with Molecular technics. Mycotoxigenic Test of A. flavus was sowed on Y.E.S (Yeast Extract Sucrose) medium rich on B vitamin complex. After 14 days of incubation at 30±2°C, Aflatoxin was determined in each extract by spotting samples onto thin layer chromatography plate. The antimicrobial activity of Globularia alypum extracts was evaluated by paper disc diffusion and dilution methods against A.flavus and five bacterium strains. The experimental part demonstrated the dominance of the genus Aspergillus in our samples with the presence of Aspergillus flavus, A.parasiticus identified by classical and molecular methods which proved a great similarity with the Flavi group by examining the ITS primer. Aflatoxigenesis revealed positive secretion (Aflatoxin B and Aflatoxin G) of the tested isolates. Globularia alypum focused on a phytochemical screening which confirmed the presence of different phytochemical components such as Flavonoids and Tannins thus it was found a significant activity on S.aureus, B.cereus and Enterococcus feacalis on the other hand a stimulatory effect of growth on the different fungal strains was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated whether aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) exposure was associated with later risk of developing gallbladder cancer (GBC). We measured AFB1‐lysine albumin adducts in baseline samples from the Shanghai Cohort Study of 18 244 men aged 45 to 64 years (recruited 1986‐1989). We included 84 GBC cases with sufficient serum and 168 controls matched on age at sample collection, date of blood draw and residence. We calculated adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for detectable vs non‐detectable AFB1‐lysine albumin adducts and gallbladder cancer. AFB1‐lysine albumin adducts were detected in 50.0% of GBC cases, and risk of GBC was twice as high in those with detectable vs undetectable levels (OR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.0‐3.9). ORs ranged from 1.8 (95% CI = 0.75‐4.3) for 0.5 to <1.75 pg/mg vs undetectable adduct levels to 2.2 (95% CI = 0.91‐5.6) for >3.36 pg/mg vs undetectable, suggesting a dose‐response (Ptrend =.05). When restricted to cases diagnosed before the median time to diagnosis after blood draw (18.4 years), results were similar (OR = 2.2, 95% CI = 0.80‐5.8) to those for the entire follow‐up duration. The OR was 9.4 (95% CI = 1.7‐51.1) for individuals with detectable AFB1‐lysine albumin adducts and self‐reported gallstones compared to individuals with neither. Participants with detectable AFB1‐lysine albumin adducts at baseline had increased risk of developing GBC, replicating the previously observed association between AFB1 exposure and providing the first evidence of temporality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AFs are among the most dangerous compounds, exhibiting carcinogenic effects on human and liver tissue. Due to their high toxicity and established limits in food and feed products, there is a growing demand for more accurate and sensitive detection methods. Detecting AFs is of paramount importance for ensuring food safety, as even low concentrations can pose risks to both humans and livestock. Various techniques such as electrochemical immunosensors, ELISA tests, chromatographic and spectroscopic methods are extensively employed to quantify AF levels. However, these methods are often time-consuming and costly. Many countries have set permissible total AF limits in ng/g, making their accurate detection a significant challenge. Consequently, the production and storage sectors of food and feed necessitate the development of AF-specific, sensitive, and rapid detection systems. In response, a range of biosensors including immunoassays, electrochemical aptasensors, as well as amperometric, impedimetric, conductometric, potentiometric, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-integrated, colorimetric, and fluorescent biosensors have emerged. This chapter offers insights into common methods for AF detection, the latest advancements in AF biosensors, their technical intricacies, and their achieved detection limits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: An experiment was conducted to assess the crop yield, nutritional composition, and mycotoxin contamination in different corn hybrids. The impact of these variables on the feed formulation cost of starter diets for broilers was also evaluated. A total of 150 samples from 50 corn hybrids was obtained from a field experiment. Nutrients were predicted by NIRS and mycotoxins were analyzed by HPLC-MS/MS. Data were submitted to analysis of variance and corn hybrids were grouped using Scott-Knott test at 5% significance. Pearson correlation analysis was performed among the main variables. Most of the variables were different among corn hybrids (P < 0.05), with exception of available phosphorus (Av. P), damaged grains, and DON and ZEA contaminations (P > 0.05). Crop yield had a positive correlation (P < 0.05) with feed formulation cost (r = 0.35) and a negative correlation (P < 0.05) with crude protein (-0.42), digestible (dig.) Thr (-0.42), and dig. Met+Cys (-0.42). The feed cost correlated positively (P < 0.05) with FUM (0.33) and ZEA (0.29), and negatively (P < 0.05) with crude protein (-0.74). Different corn hybrids vary in their productivity, nutritional content and mycotoxins contamination. It was demonstrated that an increase in the crop yield might be related to a reduction in corn nutritional content and quality, resulting in an increase in feed formulation cost.

The target of rapamycin (TOR) signaling pathway is highly conserved and plays a crucial role in diverse biological processes in eukaryotes. Despite its significance, the underlying mechanism of the TOR pathway in Aspergillus flavus remains elusive. In this study, we comprehensively analyzed the TOR signaling pathway in A. flavus by identifying and characterizing nine genes that encode distinct components of this pathway. The FK506-binding protein Fkbp3 and its lysine succinylation are important for aflatoxin production and rapamycin resistance. The TorA kinase plays a pivotal role in the regulation of growth, spore production, aflatoxin biosynthesis, and responses to rapamycin and cell membrane stress. As a significant downstream effector molecule of the TorA kinase, the Sch9 kinase regulates aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) synthesis, osmotic and calcium stress response in A. flavus, and this regulation is mediated through its S_TKc, S_TK_X domains, and the ATP-binding site at K340. We also showed that the Sch9 kinase may have a regulatory impact on the high osmolarity glycerol (HOG) signaling pathway. TapA and TipA, the other downstream components of the TorA kinase, play a significant role in regulating cell wall stress response in A. flavus. Moreover, the members of the TapA-phosphatase complexes, SitA and Ppg1, are important for various biological processes in A. flavus, including vegetative growth, sclerotia formation, AFB1 biosynthesis, and pathogenicity. We also demonstrated that SitA and Ppg1 are involved in regulating lipid droplets (LDs) biogenesis and cell wall integrity (CWI) signaling pathways. In addition, another phosphatase complex, Nem1/Spo7, plays critical roles in hyphal development, conidiation, aflatoxin production, and LDs biogenesis. Collectively, our study has provided important insight into the regulatory network of the TOR signaling pathway and has elucidated the underlying molecular mechanisms of aflatoxin biosynthesis in A. flavus.

This study identified and monitored the levels of aflatoxins (B1 and B2) produced by Aspergillus flavus isolate VKMN22 (OP355447) in maize samples sourced from a local shop in Johannesburg, South Africa. Maize samples underwent controlled incubation after initial rinsing, and isolates were identified through morphological and molecular methods. In another experiment, autoclaved maize grains were intentionally re-inoculated with the identified fungal isolate using spore suspension (106 spore/mL), after which 1 g of the contaminated maize sample was inoculated on PDA media and cultured for seven days. The aflatoxin concentrations in the A. flavus contaminated maize inoculated on culture media was monitored over seven weeks and then measured using liquid chromatography–mass spectroscopy (LC-MS). Results confirmed the successful isolation of A. flavus strain VKMN22 with accession number OP355447, which consistently produced higher levels of AFB1 compared to AFB2. AF concentrations increased from week one to five, then declined in week six and seven. AFB1 levels ranged from 594.3 to 9295.33 µg/kg (week 1–5) and then reduced from 5719.67 to 2005 µg/kg in week six and seven), while AFB2 levels ranged from 4.92 to 901.67 µg/kg (weeks 1–5) and then degraded to 184 µg/kg in week six then 55.33 µg/kg (weeks 6–7). Levene's tests confirmed significantly higher mean concentrations of AFB1 compared to AFB2 (p ≤ 0.005). The study emphasizes the importance of consistent biomonitoring for a dynamic understanding of AF contamination, informing accurate prevention and control strategies in agricultural commodities thereby safeguarding food safety.

为推动黄曲霉毒素B1(AFB1)降解技术的应用，寻求高效、快捷、安全的AFB1降解技术，促进食品中黄曲霉毒素的防治工作，对AFB1降解技术（物理降解技术、化学降解技术、生物降解技术）产生的降解产物以及降解后食品安全性评价研究的现状进行了论述，概括了降解技术的不足之处，并对降解技术的发展趋势进行展望。物理降解技术较适合大规模应用，但微波、脉冲电场、低温等离子体等技术仍处于研发阶段，无法确保该技术的安全性与可靠性。化学降解技术的研究比较常见，但存在食品感官品质变差，营养成分损失或破坏，易引入新的化学残留等不足。生物降解技术具有性质温和，不造成食品中营养成分大量损失且绿色环保等优点，但仍处于实验室研发阶段。在今后的研究中，应加强寻找新型纳米材料发展光降解技术、或各种技术联合使用、或利用基因工程联合酶法脱毒等新型技术，同时应更深入地研究降解机制、降解产物、降解路径以及降解产物的安全性。In order to promote the application of aflatoxin B1(AFB1) degradation technology, seek efficient, fast and safe AFB1 degradation technology, and promote the prevention and control of aflatoxin in food, the research status of degradation products produced by AFB1 degradation technology (physical degradation technology, chemical degradation technology, biological degradation technology) and food safety evaluation after degradation were discussed. The shortcomings of degradation technology were summarized, and the development trend of degradation technology was prospected. Physical degradation technology is more suitable for large-scale application, but microwave, pulsed electric field, low temperature plasma and other technologies are still in the research and development stage, which cannot ensure the safety and reliability of the technology. The study of chemical degradation technology is relatively common, but there are some shortcomings, such as poor sensory quality of food, loss or destruction of nutrients, and easy introduction of new chemical residues. Biological degradation technology has the advantages of mild nature, no loss of nutrients in food and green environmental protection, but it is still in the laboratory research and development stage. In the future research, the search for new nanomaterials to develop photodegradation technology, the combination of various technologies, and the use of genetic engineering combined with enzyme detoxification method and other new technologies should be strengthened. At the same time, the degradation mechanism, degradation products, degradation pathways and the safety of degradation products should be further studied.

Consumption of milk is linked to improved nutrient intake and reduced risk of child malnutrition in low and middle-income countries. However, these benefits are contingent on the safety and quality of the milk. Milk consumption may alleviate the widespread risk of malnutrition in rural Ethiopia, but milk-borne contaminants may also compromise child health. We aimed to: i) identify the types of dairy feeds used, their storage conditions, and potential risk of aflatoxin contamination; ii) assess stakeholders' knowledge about aflatoxin contamination along the value chain; and iii) assess parental practices on feeding milk to infants and young children.This qualitative study was conducted in the Sidama region, southern Ethiopia. In-depth interviews (n = 12) and key-informant interviews (n = 18) were conducted with actors along the dairy value chain. Focus-group discussions were conducted with farmers (9FGD/n = 129) and child caregivers (9FGD/n = 122). Study participants were selected to represent a rural-urban gradient, as well as low- and high- dairy cow holdings.We found that while animal-feed processors and their distribution agents had relatively good knowledge about aflatoxin, farmers and retailers did not. Feed storage conditions were poor. Many respondents linked moldy feeds to animal health but not to human health. Farmers' feed choice was influenced by cost, seasonality, and herd size. Small-holding farmers had limited access to commercial feed. Children's consumption of milk was limited to skim milk, as butter was extracted and sold for income. The high cost of dairy products also led some parents to dilute skim milk with water before feeding children, compromising the nutritional value and safety of the milk.Our findings underscore the need to address the gaps in aflatoxin and food safety knowledge, improve storage conditions, and ensure the availability of quality feed to increase the sector's productivity, but most importantly to protect consumers' health and well-being, especially infants and young children.

In this study, liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) was employed to analyze the prevalence of 10 mycotoxins in 140 samples from the Chinese market, aiming to assess the exposure of Chinese individuals to these mycotoxins through the consumption of wine, baijiu, and huangjiu. Mycotoxins were detected in 98% of the samples, with fumonisins (FBs), deoxynivalenol (DON), and zearalenone (ZEN) exhibiting positive rates exceeding 50%. Regarding the exposure of the Chinese population to mycotoxins resulting from alcoholic beverage consumption, fruit wine intake made a relatively significant contribution to aflatoxin exposure, while baijiu showed a relatively significant contribution to ZEN exposure (1.84%). The analysis of the correlation between grape variety, wine region, and mycotoxin content demonstrated that FBs, ZEN, and DON were significantly influenced by grape variety and wine region. This research holds great significance in protecting human life and health, as well as in the production of safer alcoholic beverages.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the exposure levels and health risks of aflatoxins （AFT） in dried chili and chili powder sold in Shandong Province.MethodsAFT in chili and chili powder samples were determined using liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry， and aflatoxin exposure was calculated using the point evaluation method.ResultsThe detection rate of AFTB1 was the highest in the 120 samples of dried chili and chili powder investigated， at 21.7% （26/120）. The proportion of samples exceeding the national standard limit was 8.3% （10/120）； the qualification rate was 91.7% （110/120）. The detection rate of AFTB2 was 19.2% （23/120）， that of AFTG1 was 5.0% （6/120）， and that of AFTG2 was 0.8% （1/120）. The detection rate of AFT in chili powder was significantly higher than that of dry chili samples （P