Antagonistic fungi, trichoderma spp.: panoply of biological control

Is bioaugmentation a feasible strategy for pollutant removal and site remediation

The Institute of Food Technologists has issued this Scientific Status Summary to update readers on the science of fungal toxins.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1750-3841.2006.00052.x

Food Mycotoxins: An Update

Bioaugmentation as a strategy for cleaning up of soils contaminated with aromatic compounds

This paper describes the extension of a previously published method based on liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/ESI-MS/MS) from 39 to currently 87 analytes. Besides the mycotoxins for which regulated concentrations exist, the method now comprises not only almost all mycotoxins for which standards are commercially available, but also a number of other important metabolites produced by fungi involved in food spoilage. The method is based on a single extraction step using an acidified acetonitrile/water mixture followed by analysis of the diluted crude extract. Method performance characteristics were determined after spiking breadcrumbs as model matrix at multiple concentration levels. With very few exceptions, coefficients of variation of the whole procedure of <5% and repeatabilities at the highest spiking level of <7% were obtained. Limits of detection ranged between 0.02 and 225 μg kg−1. The quantitative determination of ergopeptides was disturbed by epimerization due to the acidic conditions. From the remaining 77 analytes, the apparent recoveries of nine substances deviated significantly from the CEN target range of 70–110% due to incomplete extraction and/or matrix effects. In principle, the latter can be compensated for by the application of matrix-matched calibration. The developed method was applied to 18 moldy samples (including bread, fruits, vegetables, jam, cheese, chestnuts and red wine) from private households. This study revealed the great value of the described method: 37 different fungal metabolites were identified at concentrations of up to 33 mg kg−1, and some of these have never been reported before in the context of moldy food products.

A liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometric multi-mycotoxin method for the quantification of 87 analytes and its application to semi-quantitative screening of moldy food samples

Agricultural activities involve the use of crop preservation such as "trench-type" silo, which can sometimes be contaminated by fungi. To investigate the exposure of livestock and farm workers to fungal spores and mycotoxins, a multimycotoxin analysis method has been developed. Six mycotoxins (aflatoxin B1, citrinin, deoxynivalenol, gliotoxin, ochratoxin A, and zearalenone) were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry after solid-phase extraction. An experimental study of fungal species and mycotoxins was conducted in corn silage (Normandy, France) during 9 months of monitoring. The results indicated the recurrence of around 20 different species, with some of them being potentially toxigenic fungi such as Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus parasiticus, Fusarium verticillioides, and Monascus ruber, and the detection of aflatoxin B1 (4-34 ppb), citrinin (4-25 ppb), zearalenone (23-41 ppb), and deoxynivalenol (100-213 ppb). This suggested a possible chronic exposure to low levels of mycotoxins.

Mycoflora and multimycotoxin detection in corn silage: Experimental study

Toxigenic fungi and mycotoxins in mature corn silage

Evaluation of fungal contamination and mycotoxin production in maize silage

To evaluate the ochratoxin A risk in French vineyards, five winemaking regions were investigated. An exhaustive survey of the fungal microflora of 60 grape samples was carried out at two development stages of the berries:  end of veraison and harvest time. Potentially toxinogenic fungi isolated from grapes were assessed in vitro for ochratoxin A production. Ochratoxin A was also quantified in musts by high-performance liquid chromatography after cleanup on immunoaffinity columns. Among the 90 species identified, almost half are listed as mycotoxin producers, but only 2 are potentially ochratoxinogenic:  Aspergillus carbonarius and Aspergillus niger. Among these strains, only A. carbonarius, isolated from the Languedoc region at harvest time, was found to produce ochratoxin A. These results were in accordance with the presence of ochratoxin A in French southern region musts (0.01−0.43 μg/L) and confirmed the major implication of A. carbonarius in ochratoxin A contamination. Keywords: Ochratoxin A; Aspergil...

David Garon

Papers

Mycoflora and multimycotoxin detection in corn silage: Experimental study

Toxigenic fungi and mycotoxins in mature corn silage

Evaluation of fungal contamination and mycotoxin production in maize silage

Fungal microflora and ochratoxin a risk in French vineyards.

Influence of surfactants on solubilization and fungal degradation of fluorene