Recent advances in immunoassay-based mycotoxin analysis and toxicogenomic technologies.

The co-occurrence and accumulation of mycotoxin in food and feed constitutes a major issue to food safety, food security, and public health. Accurate and sensitive mycotoxins analysis can avoid toxin contamination as well as reduce food wastage caused by false positive results. This mini review focuses on the recent advance in detection methods for multiple mycotoxins, which mainly depends on immunoassay technologies.

Development of virus-like particles-based vaccines against coronaviruses.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and the current severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are the most impactful coronaviruses in human history, especially the latter, which brings revolutionary changes to human vaccinology. Due to its high infectivity, the virus spreads rapidly throughout the world and was declared a pandemic in March 2020. A vaccine would normally take more than 10 years to be developed.

Metagenomic and proteomic approaches in elucidating aflatoxin B detoxification mechanisms of probiotic Lactobacillus casei Shirota towards intestine.

The modulation of gut microbiota and proteome due to aflatoxin B (AFB) by probiotics remains unclear. This study investigated the alterations of gut microbiota and proteome in AFB-exposed rats treated with probiotic Lactobacillus casei Shirota (Lcs). Forty male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups (n = 8) comprised control, AFB, AFB+activated charcoal, AFB+Lcs, and Lcs groups.

Current diagnostic approaches to detect two important betacoronaviruses: Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are two common betacoronaviruses, which are still causing transmission among the human population worldwide. The major difference between the two coronaviruses is that MERS-CoV is now causing sporadic transmission worldwide, whereas SARS-CoV-2 is causing a pandemic outbreak globally. Currently, different guidelines and reports have highlighted several diagnostic methods and approaches which could be used to screen and confirm MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 infections.

Diversity and characterization of lignocellulolytic fungi isolated from oil palm empty fruit bunch, and identification of influencing factors of natural composting process.

Oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB) is the most significant waste generated from the agricultural industry in Malaysia. Composting is one of the potential approaches to utilize EFB. However, composting of EFB is a time-consuming process, thus impractical for industrial application.

Gut Microbiota Profiling of Aflatoxin B1-Induced Rats Treated with Shirota.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a ubiquitous carcinogenic food contaminant. Gut microbiota is of vital importance for the host's health, regrettably, limited studies have reported the effects of xenobiotic toxins towards gut microbiota. Thus, the present study aims to investigate the interactions between AFB1 and the gut microbiota.

Antioxidant and Oxidative Stress: A Mutual Interplay in Age-Related Diseases.

Aging is the progressive loss of organ and tissue function over time. Growing older is positively linked to cognitive and biological degeneration such as physical frailty, psychological impairment, and cognitive decline. Oxidative stress is considered as an imbalance between pro- and antioxidant species, which results in molecular and cellular damage.

The Binding Efficiency and Interaction of Shirota Toward Aflatoxin B1.

The use of probiotic as dietary approach to prevent exposure to food contaminant, aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) has greatly increased. Several studies found that AFB1 binding to the bacterial cell wall is strain-specific. Moreover, the interaction between AFB1 and bacterial cell wall is not well-understood, thus warrants further investigation.

Effect of High Protein Diet and Probiotic Shirota Supplementation in Aflatoxin B-Induced Rats.

Probiotic Shirota (LcS) is a potential decontaminating agent of aflatoxin B (AFB). However, few studies have investigated the influence of diet, especially a high protein (HP) diet, on the binding of AFB by probiotics. This research was conducted to determine the effect of HP diet on the ability of LcS to bind AFB and reduce aflatoxin M (AFM) in AFB-induced rats.

Nutrients and Oxidative Stress: Friend or Foe?

There are different types of nutritionally mediated oxidative stress sources that trigger inflammation. Much information indicates that high intakes of macronutrients can promote oxidative stress and subsequently contribute to inflammation via nuclear factor-kappa B- (NF-B-) mediated cell signaling pathways. Dietary carbohydrates, animal-based proteins, and fats are important to highlight here because they may contribute to the long-term consequences of nutritionally mediated inflammation.

Mycotoxin: Its Impact on Gut Health and Microbiota.

The secondary metabolites produced by fungi known as mycotoxins, are capable of causing mycotoxicosis (diseases and death) in human and animals. Contamination of feedstuffs as well as food commodities by fungi occurs frequently in a natural manner and is accompanied by the presence of mycotoxins. The occurrence of mycotoxins' contamination is further stimulated by the on-going global warming as reflected in some findings.