Based on the microbiological analysis of air samples from occupied spaces, some possibilities for indirect risk assessment of mycotoxin-related health problems are proposed. Airborne fungi could be classified on the basis of the relationship between the two environmental factors and their combinations, i.e., temperature and water requirements (water activity aw). One type involves three different groups of molds, selected on the basis of the quantitative and qualitative information about the ability of fungi to sporulate under different environmental conditions: group (i), represented by Aspergillus nidulans, A. niger, and A. ochraceus, and characterized by sporulation which was more dependent on temperature than on water activity; (ii), represented by A. flavus and A. versicolor, in which sporulation was approximately equal and depended on both the temperature changes and aw alterations; and (iii), represented by Cladosporium sp., Penicillium cyclopium, and P. citrinum, in which sporulation depended more on alteration of the aw conditions than on temperature changes. Another type is characterized by four sporulation rates with two levels of mycotoxin risk accumulation in the spores (conidia) of each mold species: large (Ia) and moderate (Ib) sporulation rates with a risk of mycotoxin accumulation (aw > or = 86; t > or = 12 degrees C); rare sporulation (IIa) and absence of sporulation (IIb), without risk of mycotoxin accumulation (aw < or = 86; t < or = 12 degrees C). In conclusion, providing a useful guide for two dimensions, temperature and water activity for each of the three phases of fungal growth, i.e. germination, growth, and sporulation, could be important for determination of the fundamental niche of each fungus and its ability to form or accumulate mycotoxin. Special emphasis should be given to the indirect mycotoxin risk assessment in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems.
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Toxicol Rep
June 2025
Applied Biomedical Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
The present investigation assessed the risk of dietary exposure to four mycotoxins, namely aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), aflatoxin G1 (AFG1), ochratoxin A (OTA), and patulin (PAT) via fruit juice consumption for Iranian consumers. In 96 fruit juice samples obtained from Iran market, mycotoxins levels were determined using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Also, probabilistic health risk assessment was conducted in terms of tolerable daily intake percentage (%TDI) and under cancer risk scenarios.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFoods
January 2025
Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China.
Deoxynivalenol (DON), fumonisin B (FB), and zearalenone (ZEN) are typical fusarium mycotoxins that occur worldwide in foodstuffs, posing significant health hazards to humans and animals. Single and combined exposure of DON, FB, and ZEN leads to intestinal toxicity but the toxicology mechanism research is still limited. In this study, we explored the cytotoxicity effects of DON, FB, ZEN, and their combination in rat intestinal epithelial cell line 6 (IEC-6) cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBMC Gastroenterol
January 2025
Department of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dire Dawa University, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia.
Background: Liver diseases are a public health problem in developing regions, and the majority of them are asymptomatic. Evidence on the current burden of liver disease and associated context-specific risk factors is scarce in the study area, where various risk factors for liver disease, including khat chewing, smoking, and aflatoxin exposure, are common. This study was to assess the magnitude, patterns, and factors associated with liver disease among patients visiting governmental hospitals in eastern Ethiopia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol
January 2025
Centre of Excellence in Mycotoxicology and Public Health, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Background: Tenuazonic acid (TeA), a mycotoxin produced by Alternaria alternata, contaminates various food commodities and is known to cause acute and chronic health effects. However, the lack of human toxicokinetic (TK) data and the reliance on external exposure estimates have stalled a comprehensive risk assessment for TeA.
Objective: To bridge this gap, a human TK trial and population-based TK (PopTK) modeling were applied to determine human TK parameters of TeA, and the results were applied for risk screening using population biomonitoring data and threshold of toxicological concern (TTC)-based approaches.
This study aimed to explore the contamination of aflatoxins by investigating the spatial distribution of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in cow feedstuff and aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in raw milk, and the potential health risks of AFM1 in milk and dairy products. Feedstuff and raw milk were collected from 160 pastures in three climate zones of China from October to November 2020. The results indicated the level of AFB1 and AFM1 ranged from 51.
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