The silymarin complex extracted from milk thistle provides significant health benefits, particularly due to its antioxidant and hepatoprotective properties. However, plant substances can be contaminated by a number of fungi types and their secondary metabolites-mycotoxins. This work deals with the determination of aflatoxins and zearalenone and its metabolites in 39 different samples grown in 2020 and 2021. Analysis of mycotoxins was performed by UHPLC-MS/MS after immunoaffinity column AFLAPREP® and EASI-EXTRACT® ZEARALENONE clean-up. The presence of aflatoxins was not confirmed in the monitored samples, but 1/3 of the samples were contaminated with zearalenone in the range of 2.8-378.9 µg/kg. Metabolites of zearalenone such as α-zearalenol, α-zearalanol, and β-zearalanol were not detected in any of the samples. β-Zearalenol was found in two samples (2.6 µg/kg and 29.8 µg/kg).

• Keywords
• Aflatoxins, Food safety, Milk thistle, UHPLC-MS/MS, Zearalenone,
• MeSH
• Aflatoxins analysis   MeSH
• Food Contamination * analysis   legislation & jurisprudence   MeSH
• Mycotoxins * analysis   MeSH
• Silybum marianum * chemistry   microbiology   MeSH
• Tandem Mass Spectrometry MeSH
• Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid MeSH
• Zearalenone analysis   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Aflatoxins MeSH
• Mycotoxins * MeSH
• Zearalenone MeSH

Type B trichothecenes commonly contaminate cereal grains and include five structurally related congeners: deoxynivalenol (DON), 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3-ADON), 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol (15-ADON), fusarenon X (FX), and nivalenol (NIV). These toxins are known to have negative effects on human and animal health, particularly affecting food intake. However, the pathophysiological basis for anorexic effect is not fully clarified. The purpose of this study is to explore the potential roles of the brain-gut peptides substance P (SP) and glucagon-like peptide-17-36 amide (GLP-1) in anorexic responses induced by type B trichothecenes following both intraperitoneal (IP) and oral administration. SP and GLP-1 were elevated at 1 or 2 h and returned to basal levels at 6 h following exposure to DON and both ADONs. FX induced the production of both brain gut peptides with initial time at 1 or 2 h and duration > 6 h. Similar to FX, exposing IP to NIV caused elevations of SP and GLP-1 at 1 h and lasted more than 6 h, whereas oral exposure to NIV only increased both brain gut peptides at 2 h. The neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R) antagonist Emend® dose-dependently attenuated both SP- and DON-induced anorexic responses. Pretreatment with the GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) antagonist Exending9-39 induced a dose-dependent attenuation of both GLP-1- and DON-induced anorexic responses. To summarize, the results suggest that both SP and GLP-1 play important roles in anorexia induction by type B trichothecenes.

• Keywords
• anorexia, brain-gut peptide, glucagon-like peptide-17-36 amide, substance P, trichothecene,
• MeSH
• Amides toxicity   MeSH
• Appetite Depressants * toxicity   MeSH
• Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 toxicity   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Anorexia chemically induced   MeSH
• Substance P toxicity   MeSH
• Trichothecenes, Type B * MeSH
• Trichothecenes * toxicity   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol MeSH Browser
• 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol MeSH Browser
• Amides MeSH
• Appetite Depressants * MeSH
• deoxynivalenol MeSH Browser
• fusarenon-X MeSH Browser
• Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 MeSH
• nivalenol MeSH Browser
• Substance P MeSH
• trichothecene MeSH Browser
• Trichothecenes, Type B * MeSH
• Trichothecenes * MeSH

The present interlaboratory comparison study involved nine laboratories located throughout the world that tested for 24 regulated and non-regulated mycotoxins by applying their in-house LC-MS/MS multi-toxin method to 10 individual lots of 4 matrix commodities, including complex chicken and swine feed, soy and corn gluten. In total, more than 6000 data points were collected and analyzed statistically by calculating a consensus value in combination with a target standard deviation following a modified Horwitz equation. The performance of each participant was evaluated by a z-score assessment with a satisfying range of ±2, leading to an overall success rate of 70% for all tested compounds. Equal performance for both regulated and emerging mycotoxins indicates that participating routine laboratories have successfully expanded their analytical portfolio in view of potentially new regulations. In addition, the study design proved to be fit for the purpose of providing future certified reference materials, which surpass current analyte matrix combinations and exceed the typical scope of the regulatory framework.

• Keywords
• certified reference material, complex feed, internal standard, method harmonization, z-score,
• MeSH
• Chromatography, Liquid methods   MeSH
• Glutens MeSH
• Zea mays chemistry   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Mycotoxins * analysis   MeSH
• Swine MeSH
• Tandem Mass Spectrometry methods   MeSH
• Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid methods   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Comparative Study MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Glutens MeSH
• Mycotoxins * MeSH

Mycotoxins can cause body poisoning and induce carcinogenesis, often with a high mortality rate. Therefore, it is of great significance to seek new targets that indicate mycotoxin activity and to diagnose and intervene in mycotoxin-induced diseases in their early stages. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are physiological regulators whose dysregulation is closely related to the development of diseases. They are thus important markers for the occurrence and development of diseases. In this review, consideration is given to the toxicological mechanisms associated with four major mycotoxins (ochratoxin A, aflatoxin B1, deoxynivalenol, and zearalenone). The roles that miRNAs play in these mechanisms and the interactions between them and their target genes are explained, and summarize the important role of histone modifications in their toxicity. As a result, the ways that miRNAs are regulated in the pathogenicity signaling pathways are revealed which highlights the roles played by miRNAs in preventing and controlling the harmful effects of the mycotoxins. It is hoped that this review will provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of the damage caused by these mycotoxins.

• Keywords
• Histone, Methylation, MicroRNA, Mycotoxin,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Review MeSH

Aflatoxins (AFs) are some of the most agriculturally important and harmful mycotoxins. At least 20 AFs have been identified to this date. Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), the most potent fungal toxin, can cause toxicity in many species, including humans. AFs are produced by 22 species of Aspergillus section Flavi, 4 species of A. section Nidulantes, and 2 species of A. section Ochraceorosei. The most important and well-known AF-producing species of section Flavi are Aspergillus flavus, A. parasiticus, and A. nomius. AFs contaminate a wide range of crops (mainly groundnuts, pistachio nuts, dried figs, hazelnuts, spices, almonds, rice, melon seeds, Brazil nuts, and maize). Foods of animal origin (milk and animal tissues) are less likely contributors to human AF exposure. Despite the efforts to mitigate the AF concentrations in foods, and thus enhance food safety, AFs continue to be present, even at high levels. AFs thus remain a current and continuously pressing problem in the world.

• Keywords
• aflatoxigenic microfungi, aflatoxins, food,
• MeSH
• Dietary Exposure * adverse effects   MeSH
• Risk Assessment MeSH
• Fungi metabolism   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Meat microbiology   MeSH
• Milk microbiology   MeSH
• Mycotoxins adverse effects   analysis   MeSH
• Food Microbiology * MeSH
• Food Chain MeSH
• Crops, Agricultural microbiology   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
• Mycotoxins MeSH