Assessing the hydrolytic fate of the masked mycotoxin zearalenone-14-glucoside–A warning light for the need to look at the “maskedome”

Masked mycotoxins are plant metabolites of mycotoxins that contaminate food and feed. They pose health concern as the shortage of toxicological data forces the lack of regulation worldwide. The present work investigated the toxicological relevance of the masked mycotoxin zearalenone-14-glucoside. In vitro, it shows a lower toxicity in respect to the parent compound. However, the major risks related to the consumption of masked mycotoxins depend on the possibility to undergo hydrolysis. Therefore, the hydrolysis and further transformation of zearalenone-14-glucoside in bovine blood and blood components (i.e. plasma, serum and serum albumin) were monitored using LC/MS-MS analysis to gain insights on the possible systemic fate. Hydrolysis was observed in all matrices, and both cell-dependent and eindependent contributions were pointed out. Moreover, further metabolism was observed in the whole blood as zearalenol isomers were found. Serum albumin was identified among the active components, and the protein-ligand interaction was investigated via computational analysis. The blood has been pointed out as possible district of reversion and further activation of zearalenone-14-glucoside, and a similar fate cannot be excluded for other masked mycotoxins. Therefore, the systemic hydrolysis should be evaluated beside the absorption, bioavailability and bioaccessibility to deeply understand the toxicity of masked mycotoxins

Rice Bran By-Product: From Valorization Strategies to Nutritional Perspectives

The aim of this study is to review the innovative techniques based on bioprocessing, thermal or physical treatments which have been proposed during the last few decades to convert rice bran into a valuable food ingredient. Rice bran (Oryza sativa) is the main by-product of rice grain processing. It is produced in large quantities worldwide and it contains a high amount of valuable nutrients and bioactive compounds with significant health-related properties. Despite that, its application in food industry is still scarce because of its sensitivity to oxidation processes, instability and poor technological suitability. Furthermore, the health-related effects of pretreated rice bran are also presented in this review, considering the up-to-date literature focused on both in vivo and in vitro studies. Moreover, in relation to this aspect, a brief description of rice bran arabinoxylans is provided. Finally, the application of rice bran in the food industry and the main technology aspects are concisely summarized

Formulation and processing factors affecting trichothecene mycotoxins within industrial biscuit-making

Food processing, especially thermal treatment, may have implications on mycotoxins in products available for consumers. This research work aimed to study how mycotoxin levels may be influenced by modifying the technological parameters of both whole grain and cocoa biscuit-making processes. The study was mainly focused on the following mycotoxins: deoxynivalenol, deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside, and the minor metabolite culmorin. Special emphasis was given to the recipe formulation, and to the baking conditions, using an industrial-scale operation, starting from naturally contaminated raw materials. Exploiting the power of Design of Experiments (DoE) and a dedicated LC-MS/MS method, the complexity of the different processes was investigated. The models obtained within this study showed a high goodness-of-fit suggesting that the pH and the baking time play important roles for minimizing mycotoxins in the final products, while the recipe formulation has an impact on the mycotoxins extractability by affecting the biscuit microstructure

Unveiling the spatial distribution of aflatoxin B1 and plant defense metabolites in maize using AP‐SMALDI mass spectrometry imaging

SUMMARYIn order to cope with the presence of unfavorable compounds, plants can biotransform xenobiotics, translocate both parent compounds and metabolites, and perform compartmentation and segregation at the cellular or tissue level. Such a scenario also applies to mycotoxins, fungal secondary metabolites with a pre‐eminent role in plant infection. In this work, we aimed to describe the effect of the interplay between Zea mays (maize) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) at the tissue and organ level. To address this challenge, we used atmospheric pressure scanning microprobe matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (AP‐SMALDI MSI) to investigate the biotransformation, localization and subsequent effects of AFB1 on primary and secondary metabolism of healthy maize plants, both in situ and from a metabolomics standpoint. High spatial resolution (5 µm) provided fine localization of AFB1, which was located within the root intercellular spaces, and co‐localized with its phase‐I metabolite aflatoxin M2. We provided a parallel visualization of maize metabolic changes, induced in different organs and tissues by an accumulation of AFB1. According to our untargeted metabolomics investigation, anthocyanin biosynthesis and chlorophyll metabolism in roots are most affected. The biosynthesis of these metabolites appears to be inhibited by AFB1 accumulation. On the other hand, metabolites found in above‐ground organs suggest that the presence of AFB1 may also activate the biochemical response in the absence of an actual fungal infection; indeed, several plant secondary metabolites known for their antimicrobial or antioxidant activities were localized in the outer tissues, such as phenylpropanoids, benzoxazinoids, phytohormones and lipids

A molecular insight into the lipid changes of pig Longissimus thoracis muscle following dietary supplementation with functional ingredients

: In this work, the Longissimus thoracis pig skeletal muscle was used as a model to investigate the impact of two different diets, supplemented with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids from extruded linseed (L) and polyphenols from grape skin and oregano extracts (L+P), on the lipidomic profile of meat. A standard diet for growing-finishing pigs (CTRL) was used as a control. Changes in lipids profile were investigated through an untargeted lipidomics and transcriptomics combined investigation. The lipidomics identified 1507 compounds, with 195 compounds fitting with the MS/MS spectra of LipidBlast database. When compared with the CTRL group, the L+P diet significantly increased 15 glycerophospholipids and 8 sphingolipids, while the L diet determined a marked up-accumulation of glycerolipids. According to the correlations outlined between discriminant lipids and genes, the L diet may act preventing adipogenesis and the related inflammation processes, while the L+P diet promoted the expression of genes involved in lipids' biosynthesis and adipogenic extracellular matrix formation and functioning

Integrated survey for architectural restoration: A methodological comparison of two case studies

A preliminary survey campaign is essential in projects of restoration, urban renewal, rebuilding or promotion of architectural heritage. Today several survey techniques allow full 3D object restitution and modelling that provides a richer description than simple 2D representations. However, the amount of data to collect increases dramatically and a trade-off between efficiency and productivity from one side and assuring accuracy and completeness of the results on the other must be found. Depending on the extent and the complexity of the task, a single technique or a combination of several ones might be employed. Especially when documentation at different scales and with different levels of detail are foreseen, the latter will likely be necessary. The paper describes two architectural surveys in Italy: The old village of Navelli (AQ), affected by the earthquake in 2009, and the two most relevant remains in Codiponte (MS), damaged by the earthquake in 2013, both in the context of a project of restoration and conservation. In both sites, a 3D survey was necessary to represent effectively the objects. An integrated survey campaign was performed in both cases, which consists of a GPS network as support for georeferencing, an aerial survey and a field survey made by laser scanner and close range photogrammetry. The two case studies, thanks to their peculiarities, can be taken as exemplar to wonder if the integration of different surveying techniques is today still mandatory or, considering the technical advances of each technology, it is in fact just optional

Persistence of the antagonistic effects of a natural mixture of Alternaria mycotoxins on the estrogen-like activity of human feces after anaerobic incubation

Several Alternaria mycotoxins are believed to act as endocrine disruptive chemicals (EDCs), since they are reported to bind estrogen receptors in several experimental models. After ingestion of contaminated food commodities, the mycotoxins reach the intestine, where they come into direct contact with food constituents as well as the gut microbiota. Thus, the aim of the present work was to evaluate the modulatory potential of a complex extract of cultured Alternaria fungi (CE; containing eleven chemically characterized compounds) on the estrogenic signaling cascade of mammalian cells before and after anaerobic incubation with fecal slurries, in order to simulate an in vivo-like condition in the gut. Assessing alkaline phosphatase expression in Ishikawa cells as a measure for estrogenicity, we found the CE to partially quench the intrinsic estrogenic properties of fecal slurries and fecal waters, even after 3 h of fecal incubation. Investigation of the mechanisms underlying the effects observed carried out through an in vitro/in silico approach revealed the ability of the extract to decrease the ERα/ERβ nuclear ratio, while a possible action of the mycotoxins as ER-antagonists was excluded. Our results suggest that Alternaria mycotoxins might act as EDCs in vivo, and warrant further investigation in animal models

Rapid and comprehensive evaluation of (poly)phenolic compounds in pomegranate (punica granatum L.) juice by UHPLC-MSn

The comprehensive identification of phenolic compounds in food and beverages is a crucial starting point for assessing their biological, nutritional, and technological properties. Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) has been described as a rich source of (poly)phenolic components, with a broad array of different structures (phenolic acids, flavonoids, and hydrolyzable tannins) and a quick, high throughput, and accurate screening of its complete profile is still lacking. In the present work, a method for UHPLC separation and linear ion trap mass spectrometric (MSn) characterization of pomegranate juice phenolic fraction was optimized by comparing several different analytical conditions. The best solutions for phenolic acids, anthocyanins, flavonoids, and ellagitannins have been delineated and more than 70 compounds have been identified and fully characterized in less than one hour total analysis time. Twenty-one compounds were tentatively detected for the first time in pomegranate juice. The proposed fingerprinting approach could be easily translated to other plant derived food extracts and beverages containing a wide array of phytochemical compounds

Vibrational Spectroscopy Coupled to a Multivariate Analysis Tiered Approach for Argentinean Honey Provenance Confirmation

In the present work, the provenance discrimination of Argentinian honeys was used as case study to compare the capabilities of three spectroscopic techniques as fast screening platforms for honey authentication purposes. Multifloral honeys were collected among three main honey-producing regions of Argentina over four harvesting seasons. Each sample was fingerprinted by FT-MIR, NIR and FT-Raman spectroscopy. The spectroscopic platforms were compared on the basis of the classification performance achieved under a supervised chemometric approach. Furthermore, low- mid- and high-level data fusion were attempted in order to enhance the classification results. Finally, the best-performing solution underwent to SIMCA modelling with the purpose of reproducing a food authentication scenario. All the developed classification models underwent to a “year-by-year” validation strategy, enabling a sound assessment of their long-term robustness and excluding any issue of model overfitting. Excellent classification scores were achieved by all the technologies and nearly perfect classification was provided by FT-MIR. All the data fusion strategies provided satisfying outcomes, with the mid- and high-level approaches outperforming the low-level data fusion. However, no significant advantage over the FT-MIR alone was obtained. SIMCA modelling of FT-MIR data produced highly sensitive and specific models and an overall prediction ability improvement was achieved when more harvesting seasons were used for the model calibration (86.7% sensitivity and 91.1% specificity). The results obtained in the present work suggested the major potential of FT-MIR for fingerprinting-based honey authentication and demonstrated that accuracy levels that may be commercially useful can be reached. On the other hand, the combination of multiple vibrational spectroscopic fingerprints represents a choice that should be carefully evaluated from a cost/benefit standpoint within the industrial context.Fil: Damiani, Tito. Universita Degli Studi Di Parma. Departamento de Alimentos y Drogas; ItaliaFil: Alonso Salces, Rosa Maria. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Aubone, Inés. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Baeten, Vincent. Walloon Agricultural Research Centre; BélgicaFil: Arnould, Quentin. Walloon Agricultural Research Centre; BélgicaFil: Dall'Asta, Chiara. Universita Degli Studi Di Parma. Departamento de Alimentos y Drogas; ItaliaFil: Fuselli, Sandra Rosa. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Fernández Pierna, Juan Antonio. Walloon Agricultural Research Centre; Bélgic