The use of contaminated raw materials can lead to the transfer of mycotoxins into the final product, including beer. This study describes the use of the commercially available immunoaffinity column 11+Myco MS-PREP® and UPLC-MS/MS for the determination of mycotoxins in pale lager-type beers brewed in Czech Republic and other European countries. The additional aim of the work was to develop, optimize and validate this analytical method. Validation parameters such as linearity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), precision and accuracy were tested. The calibration curves were linear with correlation coefficients (R2 > 0.99) for all mycotoxins under investigation. The LOD ranged from 0.1 to 50 ng/L and LOQ from 0.4 to 167 ng/L. Recoveries of the selected analytes ranged from 72.2 to 101.1%, and the relative standard deviation under conditions repeatability (RSDr) did not exceed 16.3% for any mycotoxin. The validated procedure was successfully applied for the analysis of mycotoxins in a total of 89 beers from the retail network. The results were also processed using advanced chemometric techniques and compared with similar published studies. The toxicological impact was taken into account.

• Keywords
• 11+Myco MS-PREP®, Beer, Dietary exposure, Immunoaffinity columns, Mycotoxins, UPLC-MS/MS,
• MeSH
• Chromatography, Liquid methods   MeSH
• Dietary Exposure analysis   MeSH
• Mycotoxins * analysis   MeSH
• Beer analysis   MeSH
• Tandem Mass Spectrometry methods   MeSH
• Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid methods   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Mycotoxins * MeSH

Spices are a popular ingredient in cuisine worldwide but can pose a health risk as they are prone to fungal infestation and mycotoxin contamination. The purpose of this study was to evaluate ochratoxin A (OTA) in 54 single-kind traditional and less traditional spices, each of which was purchased in six samples of different batches (324 samples in total) at the Czech market during 2019-2020. The HPLC-FLD method with pre-treatment by immunoaffinity columns was employed to determine OTA. The limits of detection and quantification were 0.03 ng g-1 and 0.10 ng g-1, respectively. A total of 101 (31%) samples of 19 spice kinds were positive at concentrations ranging from 0.11-38.46 ng g-1. Only turmeric was contaminated with an OTA level exceeding the European Union limits. However, most spices have no regulation, thus further extensive monitoring of various mycotoxins in various kinds of spices is necessary. Chilli and black pepper are the most studied spices for OTA contamination, however, many other kinds of spice can also be highly contaminated, but studies on them are less common, rare, or have not yet been performed. The uniqueness of this study lies in the wide range of spice types studied for the presence of OTA on the Czech market.

• Keywords
• HPLC-FLD, immunoaffinity columns, ochratoxin A, spices,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

Spices are imported worldwide mainly from developing countries with tropical and/or subtropical climate. Local conditions, such as high temperature, heavy rainfall, and humidity, promote fungal growth leading to increased occurrence of mycotoxins in spices. Moreover, the lack of good agricultural practice (GAP), good manufacturing practice (GMP), and good hygienic practice (GHP) in developing countries are of great concern. This review summarizes recent data from a total of 56 original papers dealing with mycotoxins and microfungi in various spices in the last five years. A total of 38 kinds of spices, 17 mycotoxins, and 14 microfungi are discussed in the review. Worldwide, spices are rather overlooked in terms of mycotoxin regulations, which usually only cover aflatoxins (AFs) and ochratoxin A (OTA). In this paper, an extensive attention is devoted to the limits on mycotoxins in spices in the context of the European Union (EU) as well as other countries. As proven in this review, the incidence of AFs and OTA, as well as other mycotoxins, is relatively high in many spices; thus, the preparation of new regulation limits is advisable.

• Keywords
• contamination, microfungi, mycotoxin, spices,
• MeSH
• Aflatoxins analysis   toxicity   MeSH
• Time Factors MeSH
• Fungi isolation & purification   MeSH
• Internationality * legislation & jurisprudence   MeSH
• Food Contamination legislation & jurisprudence   prevention & control   MeSH
• Spices adverse effects   analysis   toxicity   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Mycotoxins analysis   toxicity   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Review MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Aflatoxins MeSH
• Mycotoxins MeSH

The Czech Republic occupies the first place in the world in the frequency of renal and other urinary tract tumours, but their aetiology is unknown. To explore whether carcinogenic and nephrotoxic mycotoxins may contribute to kidney diseases in the Czech population, biomarkers of ochratoxin A (OTA) and citrinin (CIT) exposure were determined in biological specimens from a cohort of 50 patients with malignant renal tumours. Biomarker analyses in blood and urine samples used validated targeted methods for measuring OTA and CIT plus dihydrocitrinone (DH-CIT) after enrichment of analytes by specific immunoaffinity clean-up. OTA and CIT plus its metabolite DH-CIT were frequently detected in patient urine samples (OTA 62%; CIT 91%; DH-CIT 100%). The concentration ranges in urine were 1-27.8 ng/L for OTA, 2-87 ng/L for CIT and 2-160 ng/L for DH-CIT. The analyses of blood samples revealed also a frequent co-occurrence of OTA and CIT, in the ranges of 40-870 ng/L serum for OTA and 21-182 ng/L plasma for CIT. This first analysis of biomarkers in blood and urine samples of Czech patients revealed no major differences in comparison with published data for the general healthy Czech and European populations. Nonetheless, a frequent co-occurrence of CIT and OTA biomarkers in patient samples may be of interest with regard to potential interactions with other risk factors for renal disease.

• Keywords
• Biomarkers, Citrinin, Dihydrocitrinone, Ochratoxin A, Renal carcinogenicity,
• MeSH
• Biomarkers blood   urine   MeSH
• Chromatography, Liquid MeSH
• Citrinin blood   urine   MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Cohort Studies MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Mycotoxins blood   urine   MeSH
• Kidney Neoplasms chemistry   urine   MeSH
• Ochratoxins blood   urine   MeSH
• Aged, 80 and over MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Tandem Mass Spectrometry MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Aged, 80 and over MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czechoslovakia MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Biomarkers MeSH
• Citrinin MeSH
• Mycotoxins MeSH
• ochratoxin A MeSH Browser
• Ochratoxins MeSH

The aim of this study was to conduct a survey assessing (a) the ochratoxin A (OTA) content in different samples of Astragalus propinquus root (AR), one of the fundamental herbs in traditional Chinese medicine, and (b) the rate of OTA transfer to AR decoctions that are traditionally used to reduce general weakness and increase overall vitality. A validated method of high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD) was used to determine OTA concentrations in AR samples and AR decoctions. The limit of quantification was 0.35 ng/g; the recovery of the HPLC method for AR samples was 82%; and the relative standard deviation (SD) of repeatability was 2.6%. All 40 tested AR samples were positive, with a mean value of 451.0 ng/g (range, 28.8-1700.0 ng/g). The transfer rate of OTA to decoctions, from a naturally contaminated and homogenized AR sample (internal reference material) with a concentration of OTA of 288.9 ng/g ± 12.3 (SD), was 83.4% ± 8.5 (SD). We believe it is necessary to continue OTA monitoring in AR and other herbal products, estimate the actual human usual intake, and perform health risk assessment.

• Keywords
• Astragalus propinquus Schischkin, HPLC-FLD, Herbal food supplement, Herbal products, Ochratoxin A, Traditional Chinese medicine,
• MeSH
• Astragalus propinquus MeSH
• Fluorometry methods   MeSH
• Food Contamination analysis   MeSH
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal chemistry   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Ochratoxins analysis   MeSH
• Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid methods   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Huang Qi MeSH Browser
• Drugs, Chinese Herbal MeSH
• ochratoxin A MeSH Browser
• Ochratoxins MeSH

Since ochratoxin A (OTA) was discovered, it has been ubiquitous as a natural contaminant of moldy food and feed. The multiple toxic effects of OTA are a real threat for human beings and animal health. For example, OTA can cause porcine nephropathy but can also damage poultries. Humans exposed to OTA can develop (notably by inhalation in the development of acute renal failure within 24 h) a range of chronic disorders such as upper urothelial carcinoma. OTA plays the main role in the pathogenesis of some renal diseases including Balkan endemic nephropathy, kidney tumors occurring in certain endemic regions of the Balkan Peninsula, and chronic interstitial nephropathy occurring in Northern African countries and likely in other parts of the world. OTA leads to DNA adduct formation, which is known for its genotoxicity and carcinogenicity. The present article discusses how renal carcinogenicity and nephrotoxicity cause both oxidative stress and direct genotoxicity. Careful analyses of the data show that OTA carcinogenic effects are due to combined direct and indirect mechanisms (e.g., genotoxicity, oxidative stress, epigenetic factors). Altogether this provides strong evidence that OTA carcinogenicity can also occur in humans.

• Keywords
• Balkan endemic nephropathy, biomarkers, carcinogenicity, feed, food, microfungi, ochratoxin A, toxicity, urothelial cancer,
• MeSH
• Balkan Nephropathy chemically induced   genetics   history   metabolism   MeSH
• History, 20th Century MeSH
• History, 21st Century MeSH
• Epigenesis, Genetic drug effects   MeSH
• Risk Assessment MeSH
• Kidney drug effects   metabolism   pathology   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Cell Transformation, Neoplastic chemically induced   genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Kidney Neoplasms chemically induced   genetics   history   metabolism   MeSH
• Ochratoxins history   metabolism   toxicity   MeSH
• Oxidative Stress drug effects   MeSH
• DNA Damage MeSH
• Food Microbiology * history   trends   MeSH
• Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic drug effects   MeSH
• Risk Factors MeSH
• Toxicology * history   trends   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• History, 20th Century MeSH
• History, 21st Century MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Historical Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Review MeSH
• Names of Substances
• ochratoxin A MeSH Browser
• Ochratoxins MeSH