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Toxins
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Toxicity Assessment, Rapid Detection and Control of Foodborne Mycotoxins: Advances...
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Toxicity Assessment, Rapid Detection and Control of Foodborne Mycotoxins: Advances and Prospects

A special issue of Toxins (ISSN 2072-6651). This special issue belongs to the section "Mycotoxins".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 6338

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Liang Ma

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Interests: mycotoxins; fast detection; sensor; toxicity; interaction between mycotoxins and food matrix; detoxification of mycotoxins; hidden mycotoxins; prevention and control; food safety
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by different fungi and are commonly found in a variety of food/feed products. It has been proved that mycotoxins can cause a variety of acute or chronic adverse effects on the body through the food chain, which is considered to be an important risk factor threatening human and animal health, and one of the key issues affecting the economic value of agricultural products and food/feed quality and safety. In recent years, the discovery and frequent detection of emerging mycotoxins (e.g., alternarin, beauveristin, sterigmatocystin, etc.) and masked mycotoxins or derivatives of common mycotoxins (e.g., DON-3-G, α/β-ZOL, zein-ZEN, T2-3G, etc.) brings new challenges to food safety. Meanwhile, more attention has been paid to the toxic effects of the traditional and/or emerging mycotoxins caused by different exposure modes in the real scenario (e.g., combined toxicity, transgenerational toxicity, etc.). However, not only the relavant toxicological profiles but also the correspongding rapid detection methods and control measures pertraining to the all aspects from farm to table are scarce. Therefore, it is essential to have more reaserch data to fill this gap so as to cope with the threat of mycotoxins to agricultural product safety and body health.

This Issue will focus on, but not limited to, the toxic effects and mechanisms of emerging mycotoxins in food chain, as well as toxicological information of mycotoxins under simulated real pollution scenarios; the more accurate, economical, convenient and rapid detection methods of emerging mycotoxins; the novel approaches for the detoxification, degradation and control of mycotoxins. We welcome the high-quality original research articles, reviews, short communications and methodologies that are not yet published.

Prof. Dr. Liang Ma
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Toxins is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • mycotoxins
  • toxic effect
  • rapid detection
  • detoxification
  • contamination control

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 1541 KiB  
Communication
Machine Learning for Predicting Zearalenone Contamination Levels in Pet Food
by Zhenlong Wang, Wei An, Jiaxue Wang, Hui Tao, Xiumin Wang, Bing Han and Jinquan Wang
Toxins 2024, 16(12), 553; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins16120553 - 23 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1182
Abstract
Zearalenone (ZEN) has been detected in both pet food ingredients and final products, causing acute toxicity and chronic health problems in pets. Therefore, the early detection of mycotoxin contamination in pet food is crucial for ensuring the safety and well-being of animals. This [...] Read more.
Zearalenone (ZEN) has been detected in both pet food ingredients and final products, causing acute toxicity and chronic health problems in pets. Therefore, the early detection of mycotoxin contamination in pet food is crucial for ensuring the safety and well-being of animals. This study aims to develop a rapid and cost-effective method using an electronic nose (E-nose) and machine learning algorithms to predict whether ZEN levels in pet food exceed the regulatory limits (250 µg/kg), as set by Chinese pet food legislation. A total of 142 pet food samples from various brands, collected between 2021 and 2023, were analyzed for ZEN contamination via liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Additionally, the “AIR PEN 3” E-nose, equipped with 10 metal oxide sensors, was employed to identify volatile compounds in the pet food samples, categorized into 10 different groups. Machine learning algorithms, including liner regression, k-nearest neighbors, support vector machines, random forests, XGBoost, and multi-layer perceptron (MLP), were used to classify the samples based on their volatile profiles. The MLP algorithm showed the highest discrimination accuracy at 86.6% in differentiating between pet food samples above and below the ZEN threshold. Other algorithms showed moderate accuracy, ranging from 77.1% to 84.8%. The ensemble model, which combined the predictions from all classifiers, further improved the classification performance, achieving the highest accuracy at 90.1%. These results suggest that the combination of E-nose technology and machine learning provides a rapid, cost-effective approach for screening ZEN contamination in pet food at the market entry stage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicity Assessment, Rapid Detection and Control of Foodborne Mycotoxins: Advances and Prospects)
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21 pages, 4548 KiB  
Article
Exposure of Cattle Breeding Herds to Naturally Co-Contaminated Zearalenone and Deoxynivalenol: The Relevance of a Urinary Mycotoxin Monitoring System for Herd Health and Food Safety
by Oky Setyo Widodo, Seiichi Uno, Emiko Kokushi, Osamu Yamato, M. Fariz Fadillah Mardianto, Urara Shinya, Yuto Kano, Chiho Kawashima, Yasuo Fushimi, Tetsushi Ono, Masayasu Taniguchi and Mitsuhiro Takagi
Toxins 2024, 16(9), 402; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins16090402 - 18 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1487
Abstract
The widespread presence of Fusarium mycotoxins in animal feed is a global issue, not only for the health of livestock but also for ensure the safety of food as an end product. High concentrations of zearalenone (ZEN) and deoxynivalenol (DON) have been detected [...] Read more.
The widespread presence of Fusarium mycotoxins in animal feed is a global issue, not only for the health of livestock but also for ensure the safety of food as an end product. High concentrations of zearalenone (ZEN) and deoxynivalenol (DON) have been detected in the diets of Japanese Black (JB) and Holstein Friesian (HF) breeding herds. Consequently, we monitored serum biochemical parameters over a long time in both herds, focusing on anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels and acute-phase inflammation. Additionally, urinary 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and progesterone levels were measured in the HF herd. The JB herd, a ZEN-dominant model with low DON contamination, demonstrated ZEN levels that exceeded the Japanese limit in the purchased total mixed rations (TMR). Conversely, the HF herd, which primary consumes DON-dominant feed with low ZEN contamination, had high DON levels in the dent corn silage. Specifically, the JB herd’s TMR contained 1.79 mg/kg ZEN and 0.58 mg/kg DON, whereas the HF herd’s silage had 15.3 mg/kg DON (dried sample) and 0.1 mg/kg ZEN. Enzyme-linked immunoassay were used to measure urinary ZEN-DON levels following confirmation through liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Urinary ZEN-DON levels measured were significantly correlated (p < 0.05, r > 0.6) in both herds. In the HF herd, AMH levels increased (p = 0.01) and serum amyloid A (SAA) levels decreased (p = 0.02) when contaminated and at the end of the monitoring period. Additionally, urinary ZEN and DON levels were significantly correlated with SAA levels (ZEN: p = 0.00, r = 0.46; DON: p = 0.03, r = 0.33), with an increase in ZEN and DON levels resulting in higher SAA levels. The JB herd showed no significant differences. Additionally, in the HF herd, 8-OHdG/Cre levels increased significantly during major contamination periods (p < 0.05). Clinical data from the HF herd indicated an increase in mastitis cases and treatment rates during periods of major contamination. Abortion rates in the HF herd decreased from 22.9% (before monitoring) to 8.9% (during the high contamination period) and finally to 1% (at the end of the monitoring period), with corresponding increases in progesterone levels. ZEN-DON contamination adversely affects breeding cattle’s productivity, reproductive performance, and health. Therefore, monitoring urinary ZEN-DON is valuable for detecting contaminants and ensuring the safety of food products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicity Assessment, Rapid Detection and Control of Foodborne Mycotoxins: Advances and Prospects)
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16 pages, 1021 KiB  
Article
Antioxidative and Antimycotoxigenic Efficacies of Thunbergia laurifolia Lindl. for Addressing Aflatoxicosis in Cherry Valley Ducks
by Chompunut Lumsangkul, Phruedrada Kaewtui, Kiattisak Huanhong and Ko-Hua Tso
Toxins 2024, 16(8), 334; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins16080334 - 27 Jul 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1645
Abstract
This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and Thunbergia laurifolia extract (TLE) in the diets of Cherry Valley ducklings. Our investigation covered growth indicators, blood biochemical indices, meat quality, intestinal morphology, immune response, and CP450 enzyme-related [...] Read more.
This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and Thunbergia laurifolia extract (TLE) in the diets of Cherry Valley ducklings. Our investigation covered growth indicators, blood biochemical indices, meat quality, intestinal morphology, immune response, and CP450 enzyme-related gene expression. We conducted the study with 180 seven-day-old Cherry Valley ducks, randomly divided into five dietary treatments. These treatments included a basal diet without AFB1 (T1 group), TLE, or a commercial binder; the basal diet containing 0.1 mg AFB1/kg (T2 group), 0.1 mg AFB1/kg and 100 mg TLE/kg (T3 group), 0.1 mg AFB1/kg and 200 mg TLE/kg (T4 group), and 0.1 mg AFB1/kg and 0.5 g/kg of a commercial binder (T5 group), respectively. Ducklings fed with the T2 diet exhibited lower final body weight (BW), average body weight gain (ADG), and poor feed conversion ratio (FCR) during the 42-day trials. However, all ducklings in the T3, T4, and T5 groups showed significant improvements in final BW, ADG, and FCR compared to the T2 group. Increased alanine transaminase (ALT) concentration and increased expression of CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 indicated hepatotoxicity in ducklings fed the T2 diet. In contrast, ducklings fed T3, T4, and T5 diets all showed a decrease in the expression of CYP1A1 and CYP1A2, but only the T4 treatment group showed improvement in ALT concentration. AFB1 toxicity considerably raised the crypt depth (CD) in both the duodenum and jejunum of the T2 group, while the administration of 200 mg TLE/kg (T4) or a commercial binder (T5) effectively reduced this toxicity. Additionally, the villus width of the jejunum in the T2 treatment group decreased significantly, while all T3, T4, and T5 groups showed improvement in this regard. In summary, T. laurifolia extract can detoxify aflatoxicosis, leading to growth reduction and hepatic toxicosis in Cherry Valley ducklings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicity Assessment, Rapid Detection and Control of Foodborne Mycotoxins: Advances and Prospects)
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21 pages, 3584 KiB  
Article
Metabolome and Its Mechanism Profiling in the Synergistic Toxic Effects Induced by Co-Exposure of Tenuazonic Acid and Patulin in Caco-2 Cells
by Yuxian Qin, Hongyuan Zhou, Yulian Yang, Ting Guo, Ying Zhou, Yuhao Zhang and Liang Ma
Toxins 2024, 16(7), 319; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins16070319 - 15 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1471
Abstract
Tenuazonic acid (TeA), usually found in cereals, fruits, vegetables, oil crops, and their products, was classified as one of the highest public health problems by EFSA as early as 2011, but it has still not been regulated by legislation due to the limited [...] Read more.
Tenuazonic acid (TeA), usually found in cereals, fruits, vegetables, oil crops, and their products, was classified as one of the highest public health problems by EFSA as early as 2011, but it has still not been regulated by legislation due to the limited toxicological profile. Moreover, it has been reported that the coexistence of TeA and patulin (PAT) has been found in certain agricultural products; however, there are no available data about the combined toxicity. Considering that the gastrointestinal tract is the physiological barrier of the body, it would be the first target site at which exogenous substances interact with the body. Thus, we assessed the combined toxicity (cell viability, ROS, CAT, and ATP) in Caco-2 cells using mathematical modeling (Chou-Talalay) and explored mechanisms using non-targeted metabolomics and molecular biology methods. It revealed that the co-exposure of TeA + PAT (12.5 μg/mL + 0.5 μg/mL) can induce enhanced toxic effects and more severe oxidative stress. Mechanistically, the lipid and amino acid metabolisms and PI3K/AKT/FOXO signaling pathways were mainly involved in the TeA + PAT-induced synergistic toxic effects. Our study not only enriches the scientific basis for the development of regulatory policies but also provides potential targets and treatment options for alleviating toxicities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicity Assessment, Rapid Detection and Control of Foodborne Mycotoxins: Advances and Prospects)
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