Determination of zearalenone and its metabolites in endometrial cancer by coupled separation techniques

This study presents a selective method of isolation of zearalenone (ZON) and its metabolite, α-zearalenol (α-ZOL), in neoplastically changed human tissue by accelerated solvent and ultrasonic extractions using a mixture of acetonitrile/water (84/16% v/v) as the extraction solvent. Extraction effectiveness was determined through the selection of parameters (composition of the solvent mixture, temperature, pressure, number of cycles) with tissue contamination at the level of nanograms per gram. The produced acetonitrile/water extracts were purified, and analytes were enriched in columns packed with homemade molecularly imprinted polymers. Purified extracts were determined by liquid chromatography (LC) coupled with different detection systems (diode array detection - DAD and mass spectrometry - MS) involving the Ascentis RP-Amide as a stationary phase and gradient elution. The combination of UE-MISPE-LC (ultrasonic extraction - molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction - liquid chromatography) produced high (R ≈ 95–98%) and repeatable (RSD < 3%) recovery values for ZON and α-ZOL

Natural multi-occurrence of mycotoxins in rice from Niger State, Nigeria

Twenty-one rice samples from field (ten), store (six) and market (five) from the traditional rice-growing areas of Niger State, Nigeria were analysed for aflatoxins (AFs), ochratoxin A (OTA), zearalenone (ZEA), deoxynivalenol (DON), fumonisin B1 (FB1) and B2 (FB2), and patulin (PAT) by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) respectively. T-2 toxin was determined using TLC only. AFs were detected in all samples, at total AF concentrations of 28–372 μg/kg. OTA was found in 66.7% of the samples, also at high concentrations (134–341 μg/kg) that have to be considered as critical levels in aspects of nephrotoxicity. ZEA (53.4%), DON (23.8), FB1 (14.3%) and FB2 (4.8%) were also found in rice, although at relatively low levels. T-2 toxin was qualitatively detected by TLC in only one sample. Co-contamination with AFs, OTA, and ZEA was very common, and up to five mycotoxins were detected in a single sample. The high AF and OTA levels as found in rice in this study are regarded as unsafe, and multi-occurrences of mycotoxins in the rice samples with possible additive or synergistic toxic effects in consumers raise concern with respect to public health

Kontaminacija zrna pšenice, kukuruza, soje i graška vrstama Fusariuma u Hrvatskoj

From 2002 to 2008, 203 samples of wheat, maize, soybean, and pea were analysed for the presence of Fusarium species. Contamination with Fusarium spp., expressed as the percentage of seeds with Fusarium colonies, ranged from 5 % to 69 % for wheat, from 25 % to 100 % for maize, from 4 % to 17 % for soybean, and from 3 % to 17 % for pea. 187 isolates were collected and the following 19 species determined: F. graminearum, F. poae, F. avenaceum, F. verticillioides, F. sporotrichioides, F. heterosporum, F. crookwellense, F. tricinctum, F. semitectum, F. oxysporum, F. proliferatum, F. solani, F. equiseti, F. pseudograminearum, F. chlamydosporum, F. sambucinum, F. compactum, F. scirpi, and F. culmorum. Dominant species were F. graminearum on wheat (27 % of isolates), F. verticillioides on maize (83 % of isolates), F. sporotrichioides on soybean (34 % of isolates), and F. proliferatum on pea (29 % of isolates). Among species identifi ed, F. heterosporum, F. crookwellense, F. pseudograminearum, F. sambucinum, and F. compactum have been reported for the fi rst time in Croatia.U periodu od 2002. do 2008. g. analizirana je prisutnost vrsta Fusariuma na 208 uzoraka zrna pšenice, kukuruza, soje i graška. Kontaminacija vrstama Fusariuma, izražena kao postotak sjemenki s kolonijama Fusarium spp., kretala se od 5 % do 69 % na pšenici, od 25 % do 100 % na kukuruzu, od 4 % do 17 % na soji te od 3 % do 17 % na grašku. Prosječna kontaminacija vrstama Fusariuma u različitim godinama varirala je od 10 % do 46 % na pšenici, od 50 % do 91 % na kukuruzu, od 5 % do 9 % na soji te od 7 % do 10 % na grašku. Vrste Fusariuma koje se javljaju na zrnu izolirane su i determinirane s odabranih uzoraka pšenice, kukuruza, soje i graška. Skupljeno je 187 izolata, a utvrđeno je 19 vrsta: F. graminearum, F. poae, F. avenaceum, F. verticillioides, F. sporotrichioides, F. heterosporum, F. crookwellense, F. tricinctum, F. semitectum, F. oxysporum, F. proliferatum, F. solani, F. equiseti, F. pseudograminearum, F. chlamydosporum, F. sambucinum, F. compactum, F. scirpi i F. culmorum. Dominantne vrste bile su F. graminearum na pšenici (27 % izolata), F. verticillioides na kukuruzu (83 % izolata), F. sporotrichioides na soji (34 % izolata) te F. proliferatum na grašku (29 % izolata). U Hrvatskoj su prvi put utvrđene vrste F. heterosporum, F. crookwellense, F. pseudograminearum, F. sambucinum i F. compactum

Effect of controlled lactic acid bacterial fermentation on the microbiological and chemical qualities of Moroccan sardines (Sardina pilchardus)

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains were assayed for the conservation of fresh sardine “Sardina pilchardus”. Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. delbrueckii was used for inoculation of sardine fillets in a solution of NaCl (5%, w/w) and glucose (4%, w/w) concentration in water. Microbial counts including Standard Plate Count (SPC), LAB, yeasts, coliforms, Salmonella , staphylococci and Clostridium were followed during two weeks of storage at 30 °C. Determinations of chemical parameters including pH, dry matter, fat, ash, total nitrogen (NT), total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN) and trimethylamine (TMA) were carried out under the same conditions. Chemical determinations showed a net pH decrease from an initial value of 6.05 in raw sardine fillets to 4.3 after 16 days of fermentation. Increases in TMA content and TBVN were observed. Microbiological control showed that LAB counts reached a level up to 3.109 cfu/g after 4 days of fermentation. After two weeks, fermented fish was free of coliforms and Salmonella . The inhibition of pathogenic microflora including staphylococci and Clostridium was also observed. The results indicated that controlled LAB fermentation could be used as a successful process for biopreservation of sardines produced in huge quantities in Morocco

Determination of ochratoxin A content in wheat bread samples collected from the Algarve and Bragança regions, Portugal: Winter 2007

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6W6H-4TX33XB-1/2/609b7e7d0247810aab7cad1fae1f851