Acrylamide in Baby Foods: A Probabilistic Exposure Assessment

Acrylamide (also known as 2-propenamide) (AA) is a toxicant that develops in food during high-temperature cooking, and its occurrence is common in biscuits and baked snacks. AA is known for its in vivo neurotoxic and carcinogenic effects, and it is considered a potential carcinogen for humans. Infants may be exposed to AA as early as during weaning through baked food such as biscuits. This study set out to ascertain the concentration of AA in food products intended for infants to assess the dietary exposure to this food contaminant. AA levels were determined through GC/MS and bromination, and dietary exposure was evaluated by a probabilistic method based on Monte Carlo simulation. The results showed that the probability of a carcinogenic exposure is 94%, 92%, and 87%, respectively, for 6-, 12-, and 18-months infants, suggesting the need to delay the introduction of baked products in the diet of weaned infants. It should be noted, however, that these conclusions were drawn considering the biscuits as the primary source of exposure.

Current Perspectives of Biocontrol Agents for Management of Fusarium verticillioides and Its Fumonisin in Cereals—A Review

Fusarium verticillioides is the most predominant fungal phytopathogen of cereals and it is posing great concern from a global perspective. The fungus is mainly associated with maize, rice, sorghum, wheat, sugarcane, banana, and asparagus and causes cob, stalk, ear, root, crown, top, and foot rot. F. verticillioides produces fumonisins as the major secondary metabolite along with trace levels of beauvericin, fusaric acid, fusarin C, gibberiliformin, and moniliformin. Being a potential carcinogen, fumonisins continue to receive major attention as they are common contaminants in cereals and its processed food products. The importance of elimination of F. verticillioides growth and its associated fumonisin from cereals cannot be overemphasized considering the significant health hazards associated with its consumption. Physical and chemical approaches have been shown to reduce fumonisin B1 concentrations among feeds and food products but have proved to be ineffective during the production process. Hence, biological control methods using microorganisms, plant extracts, antioxidants, essential oils, phenolic compounds, and other advanced technologies such as growing disease-resistant crops by applying genetic engineering, have become an effective alternative for managing F. verticillioides and its toxin. The different methods, challenges, and concerns regarding the biocontrol of F. verticillioides and production of fumonisin B1 have been addressed in the present review.

An ultrasensitive colorimetric assay based on a multi-amplification strategy employing Pt/IrO2@SA@HRP nanoflowers for the detection of progesterone in saliva samples

Progesterone (P4) belongs to a factor that affects stress response and is a potential carcinogen, and saliva levels are expected to be a standard measurement for clinical diagnosis.

Antibody and Aptamer Based Competitive Fluorescence Polarization/Anisotropy Assays for Ochratoxin A with Tetramethylrhodamine Labeled Ochratoxin A

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is one of mycotoxin that often contaminates a variety of food stuffs, and it is a potential carcinogen for humans. Taking advantage of selective affinity binding and...

Acrylamide Toxicity and Mitigation Strategies: A Summary of Recent Reports

Acrylamide is a potential carcinogen, with proven neurotoxicity and genotoxicity. In the current scenario, neurotoxicity and reproductive toxicity of acrylamide have not been conclusively established for humans; however, the same has been established in laboratory animal species. In this review, we summarize the factors dictating the exposure of acrylamide to humans and subsequently caused toxicity to humans. Further, we review the neurotoxic and genotoxic effects of acrylamide on animal models, with a particular emphasis on reproductive toxicity. We also talk about various strategies such as physical, chemical, and biological approaches, employed for acrylamide. Overall, we discuss that consumption of acrylamide through food products has toxic effects on the endocrine system, and it is deleterious for human health. A novel aspect of this review is that we provide a molecular mechanism of action in conjunction with clinical data on acrylamide toxicity along with relevant examples. This review also highlights the requirement of further research on the consequences of acrylamide toxicity, molecular modes of action, and the overall impact on the human body.

Roasted Rye as a Coffee Substitute: Methods for Reducing Acrylamide

Acrylamide is assumed to be a potential carcinogen, and reference values have therefore been implemented in EU legislation. Thus, the food industry needs to reduce the acrylamide content in consumer products to the lowest possible value. In this study, roasted rye was evaluated for its suitability as a coffee substitution product with respect to its acrylamide content. The influence of process modifiers, free asparagine content, storage, and rye type on the final content of acrylamide was investigated. Changes in carbohydrate composition and brightness caused by the roasting process were described. Sample analysis was conducted via GC-MS and HPLC-CAD. Existing methods were adapted to roasted rye as the sample matrix. CaCl2 and asparaginase treatment as well as pH adjustments prior to roasting did not prove to reduce the acrylamide content. A significantly (* p < 0.027) lower free asparagine content in the raw material resulted in a lower formation of acrylamide in the final product. The acrylamide content significantly decreased (**** p < 0.0001) after 3 (1100 ± 18 µg kg−1) and 6 (490 ± 7 µg kg−1) months of long-term storage. Only samples stored for 6 months (490 ± 7 µg kg−1) met the EU acrylamide content requirements (<500 µg kg−1) for grain-based coffee substitution products.

Residual quantification and oxidative stress induced by malachite green after subacute and sublethal exposure in red tilapia

Background and Aim: Malachite green (MG) is an effective antiparasitic and antifungal chemical for treatment of fish. However, MG is reported to be a potential carcinogen. Yet, it is widely used in aquaculture despite its prohibition for use in food-producing animals by the EU and USFDA. The present study quantified MG residues and evaluated the oxidative stress in red tilapia when exposed to subacute and sublethal concentrations of MG. Materials and Methods: Red tilapia exposed to subacute (0.105 mg/L for 20 days) and sublethal (0.053 mg/L for 60 days) concentrations were evaluated for total plasma protein, total immunoglobulin, nitroblue tetrazolium activity, malondialdehyde, reduced glutathione (GSH), and catalase (CAT) activity levels. The residues of MG and leuco-MG (LMG) were also quantified in the fish muscles using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Results: Fish exposed to subacute concentration showed higher CAT on day 10 in the liver and days 5 and 15 in the spleen, whereas in fish exposed to the sublethal concentration, higher levels of GSH were observed on day 1 in the kidney and day 50 in the spleen. Fish muscle was able to accumulate the sum of MG and LMG of 108.04 μg/kg for subacute (day 20) and 82.68 μg/kg for sublethal (day 60). Conclusion: This study showed that red tilapia was able to adapt to the stress caused by exposure to MG at sublethal concentration.

Transposition of IS4Family Insertion Sequences ISTeha3, ISTeha4, and ISTeha5into thearcOperon Disrupts Arginine Deiminase System inTetragenococcus halophilus

ABSTRACTTetragenococcus halophilus, a halophilic lactic acid bacterium, is often used as a starter culture in the manufacturing of soy sauce.T. halophiluspossesses an arginine deiminase system, which is responsible for the accumulation of citrulline, the main precursor of the potential carcinogen ethyl carbamate. In this study, we generated five derivatives lacking arginine deiminase activity fromT. halophilusNBRC 12172 by UV irradiation. Using these derivatives as a fermentation starter prevented arginine deimination in soy sauce. DNA sequence analysis of the derivatives revealed that novel IS4family insertion sequences, designated ISTeha3, ISTeha4, and ISTeha5, were transposed into the region around the arginine deiminase (arc) operon in the mutants. These insertion sequences contain a single open reading frame encoding a putative transposase and 13- to 15-bp inverted repeats at both termini, which are adjacent to 7- to 9-bp duplications of the target sequence. Investigation of wild strains isolated from soy sauce mash incapable of arginine deimination also indicated that insertion sequences are involved in the disruption of the arginine deiminase system inT. halophilus.IMPORTANCEInsertion sequences play important roles in bacterial evolution and are frequently utilized in mutagenesis systems. However, the intrinsic insertion sequences of tetragenococci are not well characterized. Here, we identified three active insertion sequences ofT. halophilusby transposition into the region around thearcoperon. This report provides an example of insertion sequence-mediated generation and evolution ofT. halophilusand primary information about their characteristics.