Characterisation of new sources of acrylamide in food marketed in Belgium.

This study provides occurrence data for acrylamide in various foodstuffs, including those covered by Recommendation (EU) 2019/1888, from 210 samples purchased on the Belgian market. Detection frequencies exceeded 84% in potato-based products other than fries, vegetable crisps, black olives, cocoa powders, coffee substitutes and cereals and snacks. Large variations in acrylamide levels were found in cereals and snacks, with no correlation between cereal type or processing.

Aflatoxins and fumonisins co-contamination effects on laying hens and use of mycotoxin detoxifiers as a mitigation strategy.

This study examined the effects of fumonisins (FBs) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), alone or in combination, on the productivity and health of laying hens, as well as the transfer of aflatoxins (AFs) to chicken food products. The efficacy and safety of mycotoxin detoxifiers (bentonite and fumonisin esterase) to mitigate these effects were also assessed. Laying hens (400) were divided into 20 groups and fed a control, moderate (54.

A field realistic model to assess the effects of pesticides residues and adulterants on honey bee gene expression.

While studies on the sublethal effects of chemical residues in beeswax on adult honey bees are increasing, the study protocols assessing the impacts on honey bee brood in realistic conditions still need to be investigated. Moreover, little is known about the residue's effect on gene expression in honey bee brood. This study reports the effects of chlorpyriphos-ethyl, acrinathrin and stearin worker pupae exposure through contaminated or adulterated beeswax on the gene expression of some key health indicators, using a novel in vivo realistic model.

Unveiling the influence of a probiotic combination of Heyndrickxia coagulans and Lacticaseibacillus casei on healthy human gut microbiota using the TripleSHIME® system.

Probiotics are host-friendly microorganisms that can have important health benefits in the human gut microbiota as dietary supplements. Maintaining a healthy gut microbial balance relies on the intricate interplay among the intestinal microbiota, metabolic activities, and the host's immune response. This study aims to explore if a mixture of Heyndrickxia coagulans [ATB-BCS-042] and Lacticaseibacillus casei [THT-030-401] promotes in vitro this balance in representative gut microbiota from healthy individuals using the Triple-SHIME® (Simulation of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem).

Food additives impair gut microbiota from healthy individuals and IBD patients in a colonic in vitro fermentation model.

Intestinal fibrosis is a long-term complication of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Changes in microbial populations have been linked with the onset of fibrosis and some food additives are known to promote intestinal inflammation facilitating fibrosis induction. In this study, we investigated how polysorbate 80, sucralose, titanium dioxide, sodium nitrite and maltodextrin affect the gut microbiota and the metabolic activity in healthy and IBD donors (patients in remission and with a flare of IBD).

Butyrogenic, bifidogenic and slight anti-inflammatory effects of a green kiwifruit powder (Kiwi FFG®) in a human gastrointestinal model simulating mild constipation.

Green kiwi (Actinidia deliciosa var. Hayward) is a fruit with important nutritional attributes and traditional use as a laxative. In this work, we studied in vitro the colonic fermentation of a standardized green kiwifruit powder (Kiwi FFG®) using representative intestinal microbial content of mildly constipated women.

Evaluation of Four Multispecies Probiotic Cocktails in a Human Colonic Fermentation Model.

Bacteriotherapy represents an attractive approach for both prophylaxis and treatment of human diseases. However, combining probiotic bacteria in "cocktails" is underexplored, despite its potential as an alternative multi-target therapy. Herein, three-strain probiotic mixtures containing different combinations of Bacillus (Bc.

Phage Targeting Neonatal Meningitis K1 In Vitro in the Intestinal Microbiota of Pregnant Donors and Impact on Bacterial Populations.

K1 is a leading cause of neonatal meningitis. The asymptomatic carriage of these strains in the maternal intestinal microbiota constitutes a risk of vertical transmission to the infant at birth. The aim of this work was to evaluate the efficacy of phage therapy against K1 in an intestinal environment and its impact on the intestinal microbiota.

In Vitro Effect on Piglet Gut Microbiota and In Vivo Assessment of Newly Isolated Bacteriophages against F18 Enterotoxigenic (ETEC).

Enterotoxigenic (ETEC) causing post-weaning diarrhea (PWD) in piglets have a detrimental impact on animal health and economy in pig production. ETEC strains can adhere to the host's small intestinal epithelial cells using fimbriae such as F4 and F18. Phage therapy could represent an interesting alternative to antimicrobial resistance against ETEC infections.

Impact Assessment of vB_KpnP_K1-ULIP33 Bacteriophage on the Human Gut Microbiota Using a Dynamic In Vitro Model.

New control methods are needed to counter antimicrobial resistances and the use of bacteriophages as an alternative treatment seems promising. To that end, the effect of the phage vB_KpnP_K1-ULIP33, whose host is the hypervirulent SA12 (ST23 and capsular type K1), was assessed on intestinal microbiota, using an in vitro model: the SHIME system (Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem). After stabilization of the system, the phage was inoculated for 7 days and its persistence in the different colons was studied until its disappearance from the system.

Development of High-Throughput Sample Preparation Procedures for the Quantitative Determination of Aflatoxins in Biological Matrices of Chickens and Cattle Using UHPLC-MS/MS.

Aflatoxins (AFs) frequently contaminate food and animal feeds, especially in (sub) tropical countries. If animals consume contaminated feeds, AFs (mainly aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), B2 (AFB2), G1 (AFG1), G2 (AFG2) and their major metabolites aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) and M2 (AFM2)) can be transferred to edible tissues and products, such as eggs, liver and muscle tissue and milk, which ultimately can reach the human food chain. Currently, the European Union has established a maximum level for AFM1 in milk (0.

Efficacy of Bentonite and Fumonisin Esterase in Mitigating the Effects of Aflatoxins and Fumonisins in Two Kenyan Cattle Breeds.

The objective of the study was to investigate the efficacy of bentonite and fumonisin esterase, separately or combined, in mitigating the effects of aflatoxins (AF) and fumonisins (FUM) in Boran and Friesian-Boran crossbreed cattle. These effects were studied by measuring mycotoxins, their metabolites, and biomarkers that relate to animal health, productivity, and food safety. The study was divided into three experiments each lasting for 2 weeks.

Maximizing Laboratory Production of Aflatoxins and Fumonisins for Use in Experimental Animal Feeds.

Warm and humid climatic conditions coupled with poor agricultural practices in sub-Saharan Africa favor the contamination of food and feed by and fungi, which subsequently may produce aflatoxins (AFs) and fumonisins (FBs), respectively. The growth of fungi and the production of mycotoxins are influenced by physical (temperature, pH, water activity, light and aeration), nutritional, and biological factors. This study aimed at optimizing the conditions for the laboratory production of large quantities of AFs and FBs for use in the animal experiments.

Processing and preservation methods of Wagashi Gassirè, a traditional cheese produced in Benin.

Purpose: Wagashi Gassirè (WG) is a traditional cheese produced from cow milk following local processing methods in Benin. The aim of this study was to describe the milk processing methods and the preservation practices with the objective of improving WG production and sanitary quality.

Methods: A survey was carried out among 390 actors (84 dairy farmers, 165 producers, 53 traders, and 88 consumers) from two municipalities (Dassa and Nikki) in Benin.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in spices and dried herbs and associated risk for the Belgian population.

A total of 120 spices and herbs bought on the Belgian market have been analysed for occurrence of the four EU regulated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (ΣPAH4). Samples were sorted in three groups according to their use: traditional spices, exotic spices, and herbs. Benzo[a]pyrene has been detected in 56% of samples, while ΣPAH4 were found in 96% of samples.

Human Adult Microbiota in a Static Colon Model: AhR Transcriptional Activity at the Crossroads of Host-Microbe Interaction.

Functional symbiotic intestinal microbiota regulates immune defense and the metabolic processing of xenobiotics in the host. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is one of the transcription factors mediating host-microbe interaction. An in vitro static simulation of the human colon was used in this work to analyze the evolution of bacterial populations, the microbial metabolic output, and the potential induction of AhR transcriptional activity in healthy gut ecosystems.

Integrated biomarker response to assess the effects of pesticide residues on Nile Tilapia in aquatic ecosystems contaminated by cotton-field effluents.

An in-situ study combined with an integrated biomarker response was used to evaluate the impact of agricultural effluents in the physiological responses of Nile tilapia reared in cages and enclosures of water reservoirs in North Benin. Fish were distributed in fish farming systems at two sites: Songhai located outside the cotton basin and Batran located in the most productive commune. They were sampled for blood and organs before (BST), during (DST) and after (AST) pesticide treatment.

Chemical hazards in smoked meat and fish.

This review aims to give an insight into the main hazards currently found in smoked meat and fish products. Literature research was carried out on international databases such as Access to Global Online Research in Agriculture (AGORA) database, Science direct, and Google scholar to collect and select 92 relevant publications included in this review. The smoking process was described and five hazards mostly found in smoked fish and meat were presented.

Steam precooking, an effective pretreatment to reduce contamination with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in traditionally smoked shrimp.

Abstract: Traditionally smoked shrimps are highly contaminated with carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The effect of precooking methods such as boiling (7 and 15 min) and steaming (15 and 20 min) on shrimp smoking effectiveness was investigated through smoking duration and the change of moisture, protein content, and PAHs contamination. The consumer's perception of derived shrimps was highlighted by acceptability and Just-About-Right test using 7-point hedonic and 3-point scale respectively.

Mycotoxins in Poultry Feed and Feed Ingredients from Sub-Saharan Africa and Their Impact on the Production of Broiler and Layer Chickens: A Review.

The poultry industry in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is faced with feed insecurity, associated with high cost of feeds, and feed safety, associated with locally produced feeds often contaminated with mycotoxins. Mycotoxins, including aflatoxins (AFs), fumonisins (FBs), trichothecenes, and zearalenone (ZEN), are common contaminants of poultry feeds and feed ingredients from SSA. These mycotoxins cause deleterious effects on the health and productivity of chickens and can also be present in poultry food products, thereby posing a health hazard to human consumers of these products.

Contamination of Water, Sediment and Fish with Residues of Pesticides Used in Cotton Production in Northern Benin.

In Northern Benin, insecticides are used for cotton production. These insecticides can be easily transferred to water ponds close to cotton fields. To monitor insecticides levels in water, sediments and fish samples from water ponds, a GC-MS analytical method was developed to detect residues of endosulfan, DDT and its parent compounds, isomers of HCH, pyrethroids and chlorpyrifos.