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PubMed1994

[Ochratoxin A, ubiquitous mycotoxin contaminating human food].

Ochratoxin A (OTA) a mycotoxin produced by molds of the Aspergillus and Penicillium genera, contaminates animal feeds and human foods. It has been shown to induce renal adenomas and hepatocellular carcinomas in rodents. OTA is implicated in Balkan endemic nephropathy, a disease followed by a high incidence of urinary tract tumours. Concerning the genotoxicity of OTA, we have recently shown, using the [32P]-phosphate postlabelling method, that several DNA-adducts are formed in four mice organs treated with OTA. Some of the adducts were specific of every analyzed tissue. These results, allow us to state that OTA metabolism in different from organ to organ. The influence of OTA metabolism on its genotoxic effect was studied. Preliminary results have shown the possibilities of oxidative pathways in OTA metabolism leading to genotoxic compounds. Effects of some vitamins such as retinol (A), ascorbic acid (C) and tocopherol (E), which are known to act as superoxide anion scavengers, were tested on genotoxicity of OTA. Pretreatment of mice by vit E induced a decrease of the DNA-adducts by 80% in kidney, and by 55% in liver. Vit A and vit C decreased DNA-adduct levels by 70% in kidney. In liver, DNA adduct level was essentially decreased by vit C (90%). Vit A decreased only the level by 25% in this organ. The involvement of oxidative metabolism in the genotoxicity of OTA led us to investigate the effect of prostaglandin H synthase (PHS) which is known to cooxidase xenobiotics. Aspirin and indomethacin which inhibit this enzyme were given prior to OTA administration to mice in order to test this metabolic pathway. The decrease observed with aspirin was of about 90% and 30% in kidney and liver respectively, and of 90% and 80% with indomethacin in kidney and liver. These results confirmed that OTA is activated to genotoxic metabolites by cooxydation by the prostaglandin synthase route. Human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) expressing or not human cytochrome P450s (CYP) (1A2, 2A6, 2D6, 2E1 and 3A4) were incubated with 0.5 microM OTA for 24 h. DNA-adducts were detected in all cells. Total DNA-adduct levels ranged from 4 to 85 adducts per 10(9) nucleotides. Some adducts were common to all cell types including cells expressing only normal phase II enzymes, but no cytochromes P450. Some other DNA-adducts were only induced by specific CYPs. The highest DNA-adduct level was found in cells where CYP 1A2 was expressed. Nevertheless, more different types of DNA-adducts were formed in cells expressing CYP 2D6.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗
PubMed1977

[Comparative studies on the contamination of foods by cancerogenic hydrocarbons in the Soviet Union and in the GDR (author's transl)].

Investigations on the relationship of the environmental contamination with cancer are shown to be necessary. Epidemiologic investigations point to a connection of the increased occurence of cancer in the gastro-intestinal tract with dietetic factors. The high cancer rate in the gastro-intestinal tract (amongst other factors) is discussed as a result of the uptake of exogenic foreign matterns with the food. The possibilities of the contamination by cancerogenic compounds are summarized. The necessity of international co-operation in the field of finding out, as far as possible, sources and degree of food contamination by cancerogenic compounds is motivated beginning with polycyclic aromatic compounds, whereby at present benzo-(a)-pyrene comes into question as a reference substance. The laying down of controllable hygienic norms as preliminarily tolerable limits in the proper sense of an unavoidable dose are discussed. They could be a basis of oncological preventive measures (minimization or elimination of cancerogenic compounds in foods).

Benzopyrenes↗
PubMed2000

Food safety knowledge and practices of streetfood vendors in a Philippines university campus.

A survey on food safety knowledge and practices of streetfood vendors from a representative urban university campus in Quezon City, Philippines was done. A face-to-face interview was conducted using a standardized survey tool containing 70 questions, which included queries on demographics and food safety knowledge and practices of streetfood vendors. Topics on food safety assessment in both practices and knowledge included: health and personal hygiene, good manufacturing procedures, food contamination, waste management, and food legislation. The study found that among the 54 streetfood vendors surveyed, knowledge on food safety concepts was established particularly on topics that dealt with health and personal hygiene, food contamination and good manufacturing procedures. However, vendors were shown to be not too knowledgeable in terms of food legislation and waste management. A significant gap between knowledge and practice on these topics was established and it was primarily attributed to the tendencies of street food vendors to compromise food safety for financial issues. Confusion in food legislation was established in this test microcosm because the purveyor of food safety regulations was not the local government health unit but the business concession office of the campus administration. The provision of continuous food safety education, some financial assistance through social services affiliations, and basic water and waste management utilities were recommended to diminish the gap between knowledge and practices of safe streetfood vending in school campuses.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Effect of processing on Fusarium mycotoxins.

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by a wide variety of fungal species that contaminate food or feed. Fumonisins (FUM), deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEN) are examples of common mycotoxins in grains that have been shown to affect human and/or animal health. Physical, chemical and biological methods have been used for decontaminating grains containing these toxins. Some treatments reduce the concentration of mycotoxins while others are ineffective. For example, removal of damaged grain by density segregation can reduce DON and ZEN concentrations in corn and wheat. In contrast, thermal processing is usually ineffective for reducing the FUM and ZEN content of foods. More work is needed to identify effective methods for detoxifying mycotoxin contaminated food.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Staphylococcal enterotoxins.

Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen that produces a wide array of toxins, thus causing various types of disease symptoms. Staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs), a family of nine major serological types of heat stable enterotoxins, are a leading cause of gastroenteritis resulting from consumption of contaminated food. In addition, SEs are powerful superantigens that stimulate non-specific T-cell proliferation. SEs share close phylogenetic relationships, with similar structures and activities. Here we review the structure and function of each known enterotoxin.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1999

Escherichia coli. EAEC, EHEC, EIEC, ETEC.

There are at least four different ways in which E. coli can cause diarrheal disease: invasion of the intestinal epithelium, enterotoxin production, STx production, and adherence with disruption of the normal functioning of the intestinal epithelium. Fecally contaminated food and water are the source of E. coli infections in humans. Travelers from industrialized countries with good sanitation systems are at risk for obtaining these organisms when they travel to the developing world, where these organisms are endemic. In the developing world, these organisms are a major cause of infant mortality. Infections in adults are usually self-limited and typically respond to oral rehydration therapy. Only in severe illness is antimicrobial therapy needed. Prevention of these infections requires good sanitation and food handling practices. In addition, travelers to the developing world should avoid certain types of food and contaminated water.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Use of polymerase chain reaction for detection of Listeria monocytogenes in food.

A previously described polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay (B. Furrer, U. Candrian, C. Höfelein, and J. Lüthy, J. Appl. Bacteriol. 70:372-379, 1991) was used to analyze food for the presence of Listeria monocytogenes. Food samples were artificially contaminated to develop two procedures to detect the organism following enrichment steps. Procedure A was based on dilution of the enrichment broth followed by lysis of the bacteria and direct analysis of the lysate with PCR. With procedure A and artificially contaminated food samples, it was possible to detect fewer than 10 bacteria per 10 g of food. In procedure B, centrifugation was used to concentrate bacteria before lysis and PCR. With procedure A, 330 naturally contaminated food samples of several types were analyzed. Twenty samples were found to be positive for L. monocytogenes, which was in agreement with the classical culture technique. By using procedure B on a subset of 100 food samples, 14 were found to be positive by PCR whereas the classical culture method detected only 13. Analysis times, including enrichment steps, were 56 and 32 h with procedures A and B, respectively.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Surveillance of food poisoning outbreaks in Thailand 1981-1986.

In the period of 1981-1986, eighteen outbreaks of food poisoning following ingestion of insecticide contaminated food were reported to the Division of Epidemiology, Ministry of Public Health. There were 678 individuals experiencing illness, of which 9 cases died. Out of 18 outbreaks, 16 involving 615 cases resulted from carbamate (Methomyl and Propoxur) intoxications. The remaining two outbreaks were caused by organophosphate (Coumaphos) and organochlorine (DDT). The case fatality rate was much higher with Coumaphos than Methomyl; and no death was reported among Propoxur and DDT victims. Desserts and beverages were found to be the main vehicles, and private home was the most common place for the outbreaks of food poisoning caused by ingestion of insecticide contaminated food.

Disease Outbreaks↗
PubMed1998

[A new rapid automated photometric method in analysis of quantitative indicators of food product contamination].

Thirty-five specimens of pasteurized milk were tested for bacterial contamination by rapid autocalibration photometry for liquid, semiliquid, and homogenized hard foodstuffs, developed by the Ecotest Firm, Russia. Photometric (turbidimetric) analysis was carried out using the Labsystems (Finland) iEMS Reader plate photometer and Russian Analitika BACT software. The results of traditional analysis and the new rapid method developed by Ecotest were in good correlation, the differences did not surpass the magnitude of errors of measurements. The new method takes just 10-15 h instead of the routine 72 h and requires 300 times less nutrient media.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Fumonisin contamination of food: progress in development of biomarkers to better assess human health risks.

Fumonisins, fungal toxins produced by Fusarium moniliforme, contaminate maize based foods and feeds throughout the world. They cause liver and kidney toxicity in animals in addition to leukoencephalomalacia in horses and pulmonary edema in pigs. Fumonisin B(1) is carcinogenic in rats and mice. Ecological studies have linked consumption of fumonisin contaminated maize with oesophageal cancer in human populations in South Africa and China. This review discusses the potential health risks for people exposed to the fumonisins, and describes how mechanistic studies of toxicity in animal models have allowed the development of putative biomarkers of fumonisin exposure at the individual level. The requirements for an applicable biomarker include sample availability as well as a high specificity and sensitivity for the exposure of interest. Most environmental toxic insults involve complex exposures both to other toxins and to infections; these confounding factors need to be considered in assessing both the validity of the biomarker and the exposure-disease associations. Fumonisins can be detected in the urine of animals in feeding studies but the sensitivity of the current methodology means only highly exposed people could be monitored. Mechanistic studies indicate that ceramide synthase, an enzyme involved in sphingolipid synthesis, is one cellular target for fumonisin toxicity and carcinogenicity, and this disruption to sphingolipid metabolism increases the ratio of two sphingoid precursors, sphinganine and sphingosine. The altered ratio has been observed in tissues, serum and urine for a number of animal models suggesting it as a good candidate marker of fumonisin exposure. Despite development of analytical methods to measure this biomarker there have been no studies to date correlating it to fumonisin intake in people. Given the toxic effects of fumonisins in animals and the widespread human exposure, which has been calculated to reach 440 micrograms kg(-1) body weight day(-1) in a population consuming high quantities (460 g day(-1)) of contaminated maize, then the development of biomarkers and their application in epidemiological studies should be a priority for research on these toxins.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Cadmium in sludges used as fertilizer.

In intensively populated countries efficient sewage treatment is essential to protect river quality. An inevitable by-product is sewage sludge which has to be disposed of safely and economically. Utilisation of sludge as a fertilizer of agricultural land is the most economic disposal route for inland sewage-treatment works and also benefits farmers by providing a cheap manure. Much of the cadmium in wastewater is concentrated into sludge which consequently contains higher concentration of cadmium than soil does. It is impracticable to reduce cadmium concentrations in sludge below certain levels. When sludge is used on farmland rates of application must be controlled so that cadmium concentrations in soil never reach levels that could significantly contaminate food crops. Cadmium is a principal factor limiting the use of sludge on land. Nevertheless, it is a local problem since agricultural land in general receives more cadmium from aerial deposition and phosphatic fertilizers. The significance of accumulations of cadmium in soil depends mainly on its availability for crop uptake. Investigations are described which have attempted to identify and to determine the availability of forms of cadmium in soil. There is considerable research interest in cadmium in soil solution which is likely to be directly available for crop uptake. Another area of interest is the apparent disappearance of cadmium from sludge-treated soil. Soil analysis often cannot fully account for the cadmium added in sludge. Apart from the effect of soil conditions, especially pH value, crop uptake varies according to the particular crop examined. Highest concentrations of cadmium occur in tobacco, lettuce, spinach and other leafy vegetables. Using crop uptake data from field trials it is possible to relate potential human dietary intake of cadmium, on which hazard depends, to soil concentrations of cadmium, which can be controlled by regulating applications of sludge. This provides an objective basis for limits for cadmium concentrations in soils receiving sludge. Transfer of cadmium via farm animals to meat and dairy products for human consumption is thought to be minimal, even allowing for some direct ingestion of sludge-treated soil by the animals. Evidence from these and other investigations suggests that a loading rate limit of 5 kg Cd/ha (equivalent to a soil concentration of about 3.5 mg Cd/kg) affords adequate protection to the foodchain where sludge is used on agricultural land. More research work is needed to provide a basis for predicting the long-term availability of cadmium introduced to the soil in sludge.

Cadmium↗
PubMed1986

[Cadmium in blue poppy seeds and poppy seed-containing products].

Blue poppy seeds, semi finished products and finished baked goods with poppy seeds, were analyzed for cadmium by atomic-absorption spectrometry. The average content was 0.739 mg/kg (median 0.654 mg/kg) for poppy seeds, 0.317 mg/kg (median 0.366 mg/kg) for semi finished products and 0.107 mg/kg (median 0.088 mg/kg) for baked goods. Poppy seeds therefore must be considered as one of the most cadmium contaminated foods. For consumers, especially children, recommendations for consumption should be established.

Cadmium↗
PubMed1984

Cadmium - a complex environmental problem. Part II. Cadmium in sludges used as fertilizer.

In intensively populated countries efficient sewage treatment is essential to protect river quality. An inevitable by-product is sewage sludge which has to be disposed of safely and economically. Utilisation of sludge as a fertilizer of agricultural land is the most economic disposal route for inland sewage-treatment works and also benefits farmers by providing a cheap manure. Much of the cadmium in wastewater is concentrated into sludge which consequently contains higher concentrations of cadmium than soil does. It is impracticable to reduce cadmium concentrations in sludge below certain levels. When sludge is used on farmland rates of application must be controlled so that cadmium concentrations in soil never reach levels that could significantly contaminate food crops. Cadmium is a principal factor limiting the use of sludge on land. Nevertheless, it is a local problem since agricultural land in general receives more cadmium from aerial deposition and phosphatic fertilizers. The significance of accumulations of cadmium in soil depends mainly on its availability for crop uptake. Investigations are described which have attempted to identify and to determine the availability of forms of cadmium in soil. There is considerable research interest in cadmium in soil solution which is likely to be directly available for crop uptake. Another area of interest is the apparent disappearance of cadmium from sludge-treated soil. Soil analysis often cannot fully account for the cadmium added in sludge. Apart from the effect of soil conditions, especially pH value, crop uptake varies according to the particular crop examined. Highest concentrations of cadmium occur in tobacco, lettuce, spinach and other leafy vegetables. Using crop uptake data from field trials it is possible to relate potential human dietary intake of cadmium, on which hazard depends, to soil concentrations of cadmium, which can be controlled by regulating applications of sludge. This provides an objective basis for limits for cadmium concentrations in soils receiving sludge. Transfer of cadmium via farm animals to meat and dairy products for human consumption is thought to be minimal, even allowing for some direct ingestion of sludge-treated soil by the animals. Evidence from these and other investigations suggests that a loading rate limit of 5 kg Cd/ha (equivalent to a soil concentration of about 3.5 mg Cd/kg) affords adequate protection to the foodchain where sludge is used on agricultural land. More research work is needed to provide a basis for predicting the long-term availability of cadmium introduced to the soil in sludge.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1984

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. Possible transmission to humans by consumption of wild animal brains.

Although the natural mode of spread of the agent responsible for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is unknown, several reports suggest oral transmission through consumption of contaminated food or brain. This report summarizes four cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in which a history of eating the brains of wild goat or squirrel was obtained. These cases support the hypothesis of possible acquisition of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease by ingestion of the agent from a presumptive reservoir in the central nervous system of wild animals.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

Human body burden of polychlorinated dibenzofurans associated with toxicity based on the yusho and yucheng incidents.

The polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) are one group of man-made toxicants for which reasonably extensive data exist relevant to dose-response relationships in humans. Examination of contaminated food oil consumption from the yusho (Japan) poisoning incident indicates the mean uptake or body burden of 2, 3, 4, 7, 8-pentachlorodibenzofuran (PnCDF) equivalents (PEQ) associated with nausea and anorexia to be 4.4 micrograms/kg body wt and that associated with chloracne to be 5.9 micrograms/kg. For the yucheng (Taiwan) poisoning incident, blood measurements for chloracne show a similar body burden of 4.0 micrograms/kg. The latter value is toxicologically equivalent to a 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin equivalent (TEQ) body burden of 2.0 micrograms/kg body wt or about 150 micrograms for an adult person. This corresponds to an adipose tissue level of about 10 micrograms/kg fat, and is comparable to that known to cause chloracne in rhesus monkeys. These body burdens on a TEQ basis are more than 200 times higher than the average current levels of PCDDs/PCDFs found in North American populations and are the first to relate human body burdens of PCDFs with a known effect and to compare them to animal data. Since the effects reported may not be the most sensitive indicator of human toxicity, lower body burdens could be associated with more subtle toxicological events.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Epidemiological evidence on Balkan nephropathy as a viral disease.

Balkan nephropathy is a chronic kidney disease of a completely unknown etiology. Most epidemiologists believe that the disease has been caused by viruses, though all attempts to prove such a relationship have been fruitless. A common feature of most of the clues offered for elucidating the role of the viruses, is that they interfere with the epidemiological evidence on BN. Therefore, a hypothesis is put forward that the disease has been caused by slow viruses transmitted by rodents which contaminate food and articles in the house. Such an explanation fits most of the existing epidemiological data.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Simulation of methylmercury toxicity resulting from the consumption of Mediterranean red tuna fish.

The toxicity of methylmercury is sufficiently high to justify an evaluation of the risk from the consumption of contaminated food. In the method of risk assessment proposed here, distribution frequencies are assigned to the parameters in question, rather than mean values. Total body burden is estimated by numerical simulation on a digital computer. Based on recorded cases of incipient intoxication and allowing a safety factor of 10, the critical body burden has been estimated at between 5, 4 and 6 mg total mercury. From an application of this approach to the assessment of risk from Mediterranean red tuna fish consumption, it appears that there may exist high frequency consumers whose body burdens, while not in the overtly neurotoxic range, approach the computed critical level.

Animals↗