Search Results (1,494)

Background: Manure-amended agricultural soil is a critical reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), posing escalating threats to environmental health and food safety. However, the temporal trajectories of ARG prevalence throughout the complete reproductive cycle of cash crops, and their mechanistic linkages with fertilization regimes and microbial community succession, remain inadequately understood. Methods: To bridge this knowledge gap, we conducted an in situ field experiment over the entire growth period of Chinese cabbage at a long-term manure-amended farm in Tianjin, China. Six contrasting fertilization strategies were evaluated: unfertilized control (CK1), unfertilized baseline control (CK2), traditional full-rate combined manure–chemical fertilization (TF), traditional half-rate combined manure–chemical fertilization (T1), half-dose sole manure fertilizer (T2), and half-dose sole chemical fertilizer only (T3). Results: Our results demonstrated that ARG abundance and associated mobile genetic elements (MGEs) exhibited a pronounced transient surge immediately post-fertilization, yet reverted to baseline levels by harvest, revealing a tangible resilience of the soil resistome. Notably, the optimized half-organic fertilization (T2) effectively curtailed the proliferation of manure-derived pathogenic taxa while preserving beneficial keystone phyla (e.g., Acidobacteria and Proteobacteria), indicating a trade-off between nutrient provisioning and ecological filtering. Co-occurrence network analysis further identified MB-A2-108, Saccharimonadales, and Rokubacteriales as pivotal hosts for multidrug-resistant ARGs, underscoring that microbial interspecific interactions—rather than taxonomic richness alone—are the primary drivers of resistome succession. Quantitative risk assessment confirmed that the T2 regimen reduced the composite ARG contamination index (CF_zone) by 25% relative to conventional full fertilization (TF), while maintaining comparable cabbage yields. Conclusions: Collectively, our findings advocate for precision organic fertilization as a nature-based solution that synchronizes nutrient supply with crop demand, curtails ARG propagation, and mitigates long-term agroecological risks. Full article

Cadmium (Cd) is a highly toxic non-essential heavy metal that severely impairs plant growth, compromises crop yield and quality, and threatens food safety and human health. Jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA) are well-characterized endogenous phytohormones that serve as central regulators in modulating plant adaptive responses to Cd stress. This review comprehensively synthesizes current knowledge on the involvement of JA and SA in regulating Cd accumulation and tolerance in plants, including their Cd-induced biosynthetic dynamics and signaling transduction pathways, as well as their functions in restricting Cd uptake and translocation, modulating chelation and sequestration, reinforcing antioxidant defense systems and protecting photosynthetic apparatus. Moreover, we analyze the antagonistic and synergistic crosstalk between JA and SA, and discuss how this interplay shapes Cd resilience in plants. Finally, the application potential of JA and SA in developing Cd-safe crops and phytoremediation in Cd-contaminated farmland is explored. This review provides a systematic analysis of the regulatory roles of JA and SA in plant responses to Cd stress, along with an in-depth discussion of their crosstalk. These insights contribute to the rational development of hormone-based breeding strategies for Cd-safe crops and the optimization of agronomic management practices. Full article

Shanghai-style poached chicken is a traditional ready-to-eat (RTE) dish in Shanghai. The locally monitored data revealed that the contamination rates of three major pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella, were 8.33%, with Salmonella being the most frequently detected (4.76%), followed by S. aureus (2.38%) and L. monocytogenes (1.19%). A semi-quantitative risk assessment identified Salmonella as the key pathogen, with a high-risk score of 52. An established growth model for Salmonella isolates on poached chicken was utilized within a Monte Carlo simulation framework, combined with consumption data, to estimate ingestion levels per day across three typical consumption scenarios. Compared with dine-in consumption (Scenario 1), ambient storage (Scenario 2) and refrigeration (Scenario 3) increased the probability of infection by approximately 4-fold and 2-fold, respectively. Sensitivity analysis revealed the initial contamination level as the primary risk determinant, highlighting the importance of strict environmental hygiene in processing. Overall, this study provides a quantitative risk assessment of poached chicken in Shanghai and offers scientific evidence for targeted interventions along the food chain. Full article

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is one of the most toxic mycotoxins, widely contaminating agricultural products and posing a serious threat to food safety and human health. Enzymatic degradation is considered a promising detoxification strategy due to its high efficiency, strong specificity, and lack of secondary pollution. AKR13B3, a member of the aldo-keto reductase family, possesses intrinsic catalytic activity for AFB1 degradation; however, its low natural activity severely limits practical application. In this study, the binding mode of the AKR13B3-NADPH complex with AFB1 was first determined using AlphaFold 3.0 and AutoDock Vina. Through interaction analysis, Trp102 and Asp41 were identified as key targets for enhancing catalytic activity. Following site-directed mutagenesis screening, two mutants, D41H and D41T, with significantly improved catalytic activity were obtained, exhibiting 52.32% and 46.44% higher activity than the wild-type enzyme, respectively. Three-dimensional structural simulation revealed that D41H and D41T form stable interactions with the carbonyl group on the lactone ring of AFB1, thereby polarizing the carbonyl group and reducing the activation energy of the reaction, ultimately enhancing catalytic activity. Substrate channel analysis demonstrated that, compared with the wild-type, the D41H and D41T mutants significantly increased the bottleneck radius of the substrate channel (by 25% and 22%, respectively) and shortened the channel length (by 23% and 33%, respectively), thereby partially relieving steric hindrance and diffusion limitations and improving catalytic efficiency. In summary, this study elucidates the molecular basis by which D41H and D41T enhance the catalytic activity of AKR13B3 toward AFB1 through the dual mechanisms of external/hydrogen bond catalysis and channel remodeling, providing an important theoretical foundation for the rational design and directed engineering of AFB1-degrading enzymes. Full article

Heavy metal contamination in agricultural soils threatens food security and ecosystem sustainability worldwide. Microbial inoculants have been widely used to alleviate heavy metal phytotoxicity, yet the factors determining their efficacy remain unclear. Here, we conducted a global meta-analysis of 774 paired observations from 70 studies to evaluate the effects of microbial inoculation on plant performance under heavy metal stress. Overall, microbial inoculation significantly increased plant biomass, with greater benefits under higher levels of metal stress. Combined bacterial and fungal inoculation consistently outperformed single inoculations, while non-mycorrhizal beneficial fungi produced the strongest positive effects among individual inoculants. Soil organic carbon and sand content were positively associated with inoculation efficacy, whereas mean annual temperature was negatively associated with inoculation efficacy. Our results demonstrate that microbial inoculation is an effective strategy for enhancing plant tolerance to heavy metal stress and that its efficacy is strongly influenced by inoculation strategy and soil properties. These findings provide a quantitative basis for optimizing microbial-assisted remediation and developing context-specific management strategies for contaminated agricultural soils. Full article

In this study, biochars derived from agri-food wastes, including different avocado residues (peel- and seed-derived fractions), olive pits and cherry stones, were evaluated as low-cost and sustainable adsorbents for the removal of the emerging contaminants sulfamethoxazole (SMX), antipyrine (ANT) and trazodone (TRZ) from aqueous solutions. Despite their very low BET surface areas, the biochars exhibited notable adsorption capacities, indicating that adsorption performance was mainly governed by surface chemistry rather than textural properties. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of abundant oxygen-containing functional groups on the biochar surfaces, enabling electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonding and dipole–dipole interactions with the target contaminants. Adsorption kinetics for all systems were well described by the pseudo-first-order model, with equilibrium capacities closely matching experimental values, suggesting rapid and reversible surface interactions. Intraparticle diffusion analysis revealed that diffusion was not the sole rate-limiting step, with external mass transfer and surface interactions dominating the initial adsorption stage. Equilibrium isotherm analysis showed that SMX and ANT adsorption onto avocado-derived biochars followed the Langmuir model, whereas TRZ adsorption was better described by the Freundlich model. In contrast, olive pit biochar exhibited a markedly higher affinity for TRZ, achieving near-complete removal and fitting the Langmuir isotherm. Finally, high removal efficiencies were maintained when applying the selected biochar to real municipal wastewater, demonstrating robustness under complex matrix conditions. Overall, the results highlight the potential of these agri-food waste-derived biochars, including multiple avocado fractions, as sustainable and economically viable adsorbents for quaternary wastewater treatment. Full article

Fungal contamination and mycotoxins remain important hazards in cereal, nut, oilseed, and processed-food chains. For grain handlers, processors, storage facilities, quality-assurance laboratories, and technology developers, the practical challenge is not only detection but determining when an AI-enabled optical output is sufficiently documented to support accepting, holding, sorting, or referring material for confirmatory analysis. This critical narrative review, supported by structured evidence appraisal, examines artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled hyperspectral imaging (HSI) for fungal and mycotoxin risk management. The focused evidence map comprises a combined 20-study evidence map, including 17 spectral-imaging studies and three contextual non-imaging near-infrared studies addressing aflatoxins, fumonisins, deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEN), ochratoxin A (OTA), fungal status, and co-contamination; no patulin-specific AI-HSI study met the defined corpus criteria. Most evidence remains laboratory-based, with controlled contamination, limited independent validation, incomplete transfer testing, or no line-level demonstration. The review proposes the preliminary Food–AI Deployment-Readiness Framework (F-AIDRF), a non-regulatory appraisal tool covering analytical validity, algorithmic robustness, explainability and auditability, transferability and maintenance, operational feasibility, and decision integration. Applied descriptively, F-AIDRF is intended to reveal missing evidence, not to certify technologies. For food-industry readers, it offers a practical vocabulary for comparing screen-sort-confirm systems before investment, pilot testing, or regulatory-facing use. Full article

Acrylamide (AA) is a common contaminant in foods processed at high temperatures and has attracted significant attention due to its potential neurotoxicity and carcinogenicity. Therefore, the development of a highly sensitive, highly selective sensing technology suitable for on-site detection is of great importance for ensuring food safety. In this study, an aptamer (Apt)-based capacitive AA sensor was developed based on the alternating current electrokinetics (ACEK) effect. The sensor utilizes an aptamer as the biomimetic recognition element, which can specifically recognize AA, thereby enabling quantitative detection. Additionally, a detachable detection fixture and data acquisition system were designed to enhance the detection stability and convenience of sensor. Within the linear range of 1 nmol/L to 10 µmol/L, the sensor response (dC/dt) exhibited a good linear relationship with AA concentration, with a detection limit as low as 0.4235 nmol/L. The sensor exhibits good selectivity toward structural analogs of AA, with a recovery relative standard deviations (RSDs) of less than 5.42% in spiked coffee samples. This portable detection system provides a sensitive and user-friendly tool for the analysis of acrylamide in food and holds great potential for application in food safety. Full article

Honey is a natural food product highly valued for its nutritional and biological properties. Its quality and safety are increasingly affected by environmental contamination and apicultural practices. Among the most relevant contaminants, pesticide residues, veterinary antibiotics, and heavy metals represent major concerns due to their potential impact on human health. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the occurrence, sources, and distribution of these contaminants in honey, with particular emphasis on their relationship with agricultural activities, environmental pollution, and beekeeping treatments. Advanced analytical techniques, including liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), are highlighted for their ability to enable sensitive multi-residue and trace-level detection. The application of chemometric tools for data analysis and sample classification is also addressed, supporting the identification of contamination patterns and origin-related differences. In addition, recent developments in rapid screening methods and environmentally sustainable analytical approaches are discussed. Overall, this review emphasizes the importance of continuous monitoring and the integration of advanced analytical strategies to ensure honey safety, support regulatory compliance, and protect consumers. Full article

Background/Objective: Cinnamaldehyde (CA) is a naturally occurring bioactive compound derived from the leaves, bark, roots, and flowers of the Chinese medicinal plant Cinnamomum cassia. It exhibits a broad spectrum of pharmacological properties, encompassing antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-diabetic, antifungal, and anticancer activities. Notably, it has shown potential therapeutic benefits in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Ochratoxin A (OTA), a common contaminant found in foods such as cereals, coffee, and raisins, is also present in traditional Chinese medicinal materials, including Astragalus and liquorice. T2DM and NAFLD share intertwined pathophysiological pathways, including insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia, chronic low-grade inflammation and oxidative stress, with insulin resistance serving as the common pathological hub for both conditions. Consequently, they frequently co-occur and exacerbate each other. OTA exerts dual-targeted toxicity to the pancreas and liver, which may synergistically drive the development of the comorbidity of T2DM and NAFLD. These two processes are mutually causal and together constitute the pathological basis of metabolic comorbidity. Methods: Network toxicology employs toxicological data, gene expression, and protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks to predict the targets of toxins, while network pharmacology, based on systems biology principles, reveals how drugs exert regulatory effects through multiple targets and pathways. In this study, we employed an integrated network toxicology and network pharmacology approach to jointly decipher the potential mechanisms by which CA intervenes in OTA-induced comorbid T2DM-NAFLD. First, a network toxicology approach was employed to preliminarily screen for core toxicological targets responsible for OTA’s pathogenicity. Subsequently, network pharmacology was used to identify potential targets of CA-mediated intervention in the disease. Finally, the common overlap among the CA intervention targets, OTA toxicity targets, and disease targets was defined as the final set of potential targets for CA-mediated intervention in OTA-induced T2DM-NAFLD comorbidity. A PPI network was constructed using the STRING database, and topological analysis was performed with Cytoscape. Core targets were selected using the median values of six parameters—betweenness centrality, closeness centrality, degree centrality, eigenvector centrality, LAC (local average connectivity) score, and network centrality—as cut-off thresholds, and the top 10 key genes were further identified using the cytoHubba plugin. Gene Ontology (GO) functional enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were conducted via the DAVID database, and the results were visualized on the CNSknowall platform. Lastly, molecular docking of the core targets was performed using the CB-DOCK2 platform to validate binding affinity. Results: Based on an integrated analysis of network toxicology, network pharmacology, and molecular docking, 10 key targets were systematically identified. These may serve as potential mediators of cinnamaldehyde in the treatment of OTA-induced T2DM-NAFLD comorbidity. Among these, six targets—albumin (ALB), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), actin beta (ACTB), and estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1)—possess crystal structures amenable to molecular docking. KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that CA and OTA jointly participate in key pathological processes such as the cancer pathway, the lipid and atherosclerosis pathway, the advanced glycation end-products–receptor for advanced glycation end-products (AGE-RAGE) signaling pathway, the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase–protein kinase B (PI3K-Akt) signaling pathway, the TNF signaling pathway, and the interleukin-17 (IL-17) signaling pathway. OTA exacerbates inflammatory responses, impairs insulin signaling, promotes hepatic steatosis, and disrupts systemic metabolic homeostasis, ultimately contributing to T2DM-NAFLD comorbidity. Conversely, cinnamaldehyde counteracts these pathological processes through multiple mechanisms, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects as well as regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism, thereby restoring metabolic homeostasis. Conclusions: This study has preliminarily identified the toxicological targets of OTA and the potential intervention targets of CA, offering new avenues for preventing and intervening in OTA-induced metabolic toxicity. Furthermore, it provides a theoretical basis for CA as a potential multi-target therapeutic agent and presents novel insights worthy of further investigation into the prevention of T2DM-NAFLD comorbidity. Full article

Lethal foodborne illness outbreaks represent a critical intersection of public health surveillance, environmental health, and forensic toxicology. When acute gastrointestinal syndromes lead to sudden death, traditional postmortem investigation techniques are often hindered by tissue autolysis and the overgrowth of putrefactive microflora, which complicate conventional microbiological assays. This review establishes a comprehensive framework for chemical forensics by evaluating the utility of stable isotope analysis (SIA) as a supportive, probabilistic chemical proxy to complement traditional epidemiological investigations of postmortem food contamination sources. Following JBI scoping review guidelines and the PRISMA-ScR reporting framework, data from 42 peer-reviewed articles (2000–2026) were charted and synthesized to map natural isotopic variations (δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, δ¹⁸O, δ²H and δ³⁴S) across both forensic decedents and environmental reservoirs. The findings outline a structured, multi-tissue diagnostic cascade governed by biological metabolic turnover rates: unabsorbed gastric chyme provides a direct chemical match to contaminated source food items within a hyper-acute 0–6 h window; high-turnover visceral matrices (liver, blood plasma) shift to reflect acute exposure profiles within 1–7 days; and continuously fixed keratinized matrices (hair, nails) archive multi-month dietary and transcontinental transit histories. Furthermore, compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) of individual amino acids offers unprecedented structural resolution, utilizing the carbon discrimination metric (Δ¹³C_glu-phe) to differentiate pristine agricultural signatures from endogenous metabolic distortions while biochemically verifying pre-mortem physiological stress and hyper-catabolic muscle wasting. Taphonomic thresholds were explicitly defined, establishing that bulk visceral soft tissues remain isotopically stable (±0.3‰) for up to 48 h at room temperature (~21 °C) before microbially induced nitrogen enrichment (δ¹⁵N > +2.8‰) alters native profiles, whereas hair and nail keratin maintain absolute isotopic stability for over 180 days postmortem. When pristine multi-isotope signatures are coupled with mandatory chloroform–methanol lipid extraction and processed through spatial Bayesian assignment models, geographic provenance tracking via environmental isoscapes achieves a predictive accuracy of 97%. This review introduces a standardized environmental health protocol designed to harmonize field environmental sampling with medical autopsies. This protocol provides a legally robust strategy for investigating unresolved lethal foodborne illness case-outbreaks, particularly those involving pediatric mortalities linked to the consumption of counterfeit or fraudulent food products in low- and middle-income countries. Furthermore, it aims to strengthen national and municipal legal frameworks and international biosecurity enforcement. Full article

Microplastics are plastic particles smaller than 5 mm that have become a growing environmental concern due to their persistence and widespread distribution. They originate from diverse sources, including laundry detergents, vehicle tires, cosmetic microbeads, and the degradation of larger plastics through ultraviolet radiation and saline exposure. This systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines to summarize current knowledge on the environmental and human health effects of microplastics. A comprehensive literature search was performed in ScienceDirect, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases, yielding 2694 initial records. After applying exclusion criteria and removing duplicates, 111 studies were selected for full reading, and 54 articles were ultimately included in the analysis. The results reveal that microplastics can absorb and release pollutants, leading to the contamination of water and soil and enabling them to enter the food chain, thereby posing potential risks to both ecosystems and human health. However, significant discrepancies were found among the databases regarding the amount and quality of available data, highlighting the need for standardized research approaches. In conclusion, understanding the sources, distribution, and impacts of microplastics is crucial to developing strategies to mitigate their release, and further research is essential to assess their long-term effects and to guide environmental policy. Full article

Phosphogypsum (PG), a gypsum-rich by-product of wet-process phosphoric acid production, is increasingly considered for land application because it can supply calcium and sulfur and alleviate constraints such as sodicity, subsoil acidity, and vegetation establishment limitations. However, PG may also contain residual acidity, soluble salts, fluoride, heavy metals, and naturally occurring radionuclides, creating multiple exposure pathways. This critical review distinguishes direct PG evidence from gypsum or sulfate analogue evidence, life cycle assessment/material flow analysis evidence, and risk control studies. It evaluates PG land application according to receiving soil conditions, diagnosed constraints, exposure pathways, and environmental safety boundaries. The strongest evidence supports use in diagnosed sodic and saline–sodic soils, whereas applications in Al-toxic acid subsoils, flooded paddy systems, contaminated or degraded soils, and non-food vegetated systems require conditional assessment. PG should therefore be treated as a context-specific management option rather than an unrestricted disposal route. By linking waste valorization with soil demand, source quality, exposure control, and long-term monitoring, the proposed framework contributes to sustainability by integrating circular resource use with soil health, water protection, food/feed safety, and risk-informed governance, while helping to prevent the transfer of environmental burdens across ecosystems or generations. Full article

Microplastics have emerged as one of the most widespread and significant environmental pollutants, occurring in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, the atmosphere, food, and living organisms. Given the rapid expansion of research in this field, a comprehensive synthesis of the current state of knowledge is warranted. The aim of this study was to map the available literature on microplastics, with particular emphasis on advanced identification and characterisation techniques, environmental transport and transformation processes, life cycle assessment, and remediation strategies. This scoping review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines using publications retrieved from the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases. The analysis demonstrated substantial advances in analytical methodologies, particularly spectroscopic and microscopic techniques, enabling the accurate characterisation of micro- and nanoplastic particles. It also highlighted the complex mechanisms governing the transport and transformation of microplastics across environmental compartments, as well as their important role as vectors of chemical contaminants. From a systems perspective, life cycle assessment of plastics was identified as an essential tool for evaluating their environmental impacts. Current mitigation approaches, including filtration technologies, wastewater treatment processes, and biological remediation strategies, were also reviewed, along with their limitations and potential for future development. This review identifies the lack of standardised analytical methodologies and the limited capability for nanoplastics detection as two major challenges hindering the global harmonisation of microplastics research. The findings emphasise the need for further interdisciplinary studies and the implementation of integrated strategies encompassing the entire life cycle of plastics to effectively reduce microplastics emissions and mitigate their environmental impacts. Full article

Acrylamide is a thermally induced process contaminant formed predominantly through Maillard-type reactions in carbohydrate-rich foods and is considered a major food safety concern due to its potential genotoxic and carcinogenic properties. In the present study, a modified QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe)-based extraction and clean-up procedure followed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array detection (HPLC-PDA) analysis was developed and optimised for the determination of acrylamide in French fries. Different clean-up strategies involving primary secondary amine (PSA), C18, and salt-assisted extraction systems were comparatively evaluated to improve analytical selectivity and chromatographic performance in complex potato matrices. The optimised procedure demonstrated satisfactory analytical performance and chromatographic selectivity for acrylamide analysis in thermally processed potato matrices, with an LOQ value of 32.3 µg kg⁻¹, recoveries ranging from 79.4 to 86.6%, and relative standard deviation (RSD) values below 8%. The validated method was subsequently applied to investigate the influence of thermal processing conditions on acrylamide formation in frozen French fries processed using sunflower oil, riviera olive oil, and palm oil. Deep-fat frying formed substantially higher acrylamide concentrations (526.7–829.6 µg kg⁻¹) than oven baking (285.5–480.6 µg kg⁻¹) and air frying (272.1–673.6 µg kg⁻¹), whereas repeated frying cycles markedly enhanced acrylamide formation, particularly in sunflower oil systems. The proposed analytical strategy offers a reliable and analytically robust approach for acrylamide determination while providing mechanistic insights into processing-dependent chemical transformations associated with acrylamide formation in potato-based foods. Full article