Further data on the levels of emerging Fusarium mycotoxins enniatins (A,A1, B,B1), beauvericin and fusaproliferin in breakfast and infant cereals from Morocco

Sixty-eight samples of cereals products, including breakfast cereals (n = 48) and infant cereals (n = 20), purchased from supermarkets and pharmacies in Rabat-Salé area from Morocco were analysed for the determination of six emerging mycotoxins: four enniatins ENs (ENA, ENA1, ENB and ENB1), beauvericin (BEA) and fusaproliferin (FUS). Samples were extracted with a mixture of acetonitrile:water (85:15, v/v), using an Ultra-Turrax® homogeniser. Mycotoxins were then identified and quantified by liquid chromatography (LC) with diode array detection (DAD). Positive samples were confirmed by LC–MS/MS.     

Reduction of beauvericin and enniatins bioaccessibility by prebiotic compounds,evaluated in static and dynamic simulated gastrointestinal digestion

The aim of this study was to investigate the bioaccessibility of beauvericin (BEA) and enniatins (ENs) present in wheat crispy breads. A microbial fermentation was performed by a BEA- and ENs-producer Fusarium strain, adding inulin and fructooligosaccharides (FOS) at two concentrations (1% and 5%). The bioaccessibility of mycotoxins was determined by static and dynamic simulated gastrointestinal digestion systems, imitating the digestive physiological conditions until the colonic compartment. BEA and ENs were determined in the intestinal fluids by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). BEA and ENs bioaccessibilities in the static model (46.7–61.1% and 6.2–44.9%, respectively) were lower than those found in the dynamic one (76.2–91.0% and 23.0–68.9%, respectively). Addition of inulin and FOS decreased the bioaccessibility of BEA and ENs, with a concentration-dependent behavior, thus being a potential strategy to reduce human exposure to these minor mycotoxins.     

Enniatins fromFusarium avenaceum isolated from balsam fir foliage and their toxicity to spruce budworm larvae,Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

Material extracted from hyphae ofFusarium avenaceum, isolated from foliage of balsam fir,Abies balsamea, was toxic to spruce budworm larvae when incorporated into insect diet. The major insecticidal component of the toxic fraction was identified by chemical and spectroscopic methods as enniatin complex, rich in enniatin A/A₁. Possible ecological implications of these observations are considered.     

Degradation study of enniatins by liquid chromatography–triple quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometry

Enniatins A, A₁, B and B₁ (ENs) are mycotoxins produced by Fusarium spp. and are normal contaminants of cereals and derivate products. In this study, the stability of ENs was evaluated during food processing by simulation of pasta cooking. Thermal treatments at different incubation times (5, 10 and 15 min) and different pH (4, 7 and 10) were applied in an aqueous system and pasta resembling system (PRS). The concentrations of the targeted mycotoxins were determined using liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. High percentages of ENs reduction (81–100%) were evidenced in the PRS after the treatments at 5, 10 and 15 min of incubation. In contrast to the PRS, an important reduction of the ENs was obtained in the aqueous system after 15 min of incubation (82–100%). In general, no significant differences were observed between acid, neutral and basic solutions. Finally, several ENs degradation products were identified using the technique of liquid chromatography–triple quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometry.     

Evaluation of beauvericin and enniatins in Italian cereal products and multicereal food by liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry

In this study, 48 multicereal baby foods samples including 25 of pasta and 23 of multicereal baby foods from supermarkets of Campania region (Italy) were analysed for evaluating the presence of beauvericin (BEA) and enniatins (ENs) A, A1, B, B1 and B4. Subsequently to evaluate the risk exposure of Italian population and infant population over the consumption of pasta or multicereal baby food, was, respectively, evaluated.     

Presence of mycotoxin in commercial infant formulas and baby foods from Italian market

In this study a total of 75 commercially Italian samples of baby foods, including 13 infant formula milks (infant formula powders, ready-to-use preparation), 11 dairy products (cheese and yogurt), 25 cereal-based baby foods, 16 fruit and vegetables compotes, and 10 fruit and vegetables purees (composed of pear, peach, banana and for apple), were analyzed to provide an overview on mycotoxin presence. The presence was carried out by evaluating of 23 mycotoxins: ochratoxin-A (OTA), patulin (PAT), two aflatoxins (AFM1, AFB1), three zearalenones (ZONs), which include zearalenone (ZON) and its metabolites (α-zearalenol (α-ZOL) and β-zearalenol (β-ZOL)), nine trichothecenes: deoxynivalenol (DON), 3-and 15-acetyl-deoxynivalenol (3-ADON and 15-ADON), diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS), nivalenol (NIV), fusarenon-X (FUS-X), T-2 toxin (T-2) and HT-2 toxin (HT-2), and five emerging mycotoxins: four enniatins ENs (ENA, ENA1, ENB and ENB1), and beauvericin (BEA). Analytical results showed that 31% of cereal-based baby foods presented levels of mycotoxins. The frequencies of detected mycotoxins, OTA, DON, HT-2, FUS-X, NIV, β-ZOL, ENB, ENB1, ENB4, ENA1 and, BEA, in analyzed samples were 20%, 21%, 3%, 24%, 4%, 7%, 15%, 1%, 5%, 4%, and 1%, respectively. The high value registered was for a cereal-based baby food which contained 832 μg/kg of ENB. 27% of analyzed samples presented co-occurrence of different mycotoxins.     

Effects of ¹⁴C-labelled precursor feeding on production of beauvericin, enniatins H, I, and MK1688 by Fusarium oxysporum KFCC11363P

The effects of ¹⁴C-labelled precursor feeding on the production of cyclic hexadepsipeptides were investigated by the mycelium of F. oxysporum KFCC11363P producing beauvericin along with enniatins H, I, and MK1688. Most ¹⁴C-phenylalanine and ¹⁴C-valine were incorporated easily into the biosynthetic pathway of ¹⁴C-labelled beauvericin in vivo by the mycelium. However, only a small amount of ¹⁴C-labelled enniatins could be detected by feeding of ¹⁴C-valine. When l-valine was fed as a precursor to the mycelium at large scale, the level of beauvericin increased to maximum followed by enniatins H and I. Feeding of l-valine did not affect the production of enniatin MK1688. These results suggest that l-valine feeding led to the production of d-hydroxyisovaleic acid in the mycelium and specifically enhanced the production of cyclic hexadepsipeptides containing d-hydroxyisovaleic acid, such as beauvericin and enniatins H and I.     

Simultaneous determination of Fusarium mycotoxins in wheat grain from Morocco by liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry

In the present study, eighteen (18) mycotoxin produced by the genus Fusarium (fumonisins (FB1, FB2 and FB3), type-B trichothecenes (NIV, DON, FUS-X, 3Ac-DON and 15Ac-DON), type-A trichothecenes (NEO, DAS, T2 and HT2), zearalenone (ZEA), beauvericin (BEA), and enniatins (ENA, ENA₁, ENB and ENB₁)) were monitored in different samples of wheat grain commercialized in Morocco. A liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry method previous matrix solid phase dispersion extraction was used for sample analysis. A total of eighty (80) samples of durum wheat were collected in different local markets from several areas in Morocco. Analytical results showed that 54 out of 80 total wheat samples (68%) were contaminated. The mycotoxins found were ENA, ENA₁, ENB and ENB₁, DON and BEA. The rest of investigated mycotoxins were below the limits of quantification. In positive samples, enniatins levels ranged between 2.5 and 2570 μg/kg. DON levels ranged between 121 and 1480 μg/kg and BEA levels were between 5.4 and 16 μg/kg. Among enniatins, ENB was predominant with a frequency of 61%. Co-presence of DON, enniatins and BEA from durum wheat from Morocco was found for the first time.     

Production of enniatins A,A1, B,B1, B4, J1 by Fusarium tricinctum in solid corn culture: Structural analysis and effects on mitochondrial respiration

Enniatins (ENs) are secondary fungal metabolites with hexadepsipeptidic chemical structure and they possess a number of potent biological activities that can contaminate several kind of food and foodstuffs increasing the exposure risk for consumers. ENs are produced by several Fusariun strains including Fusarium subglutinans, Fusarium proliferatum and Fusarium tricinctum. Production of a mixture of ENs was performed by culturing F. tricinctum ITEM 9496 on white corn as substrate. The solid culture components were dried and subsequently extracted with water/methanol (50/50 v/v, 0.5% NaCl), homogenised, filtered, extracted by ethyl acetate and analysed by liquid chromatography with diode array detection (LC-DAD). The crude extract was first separated by low pressure liquid chromatography (LPLC) and then further purified by liquid chromatography (LC), resulting in six compounds with a purity higher than 95% as calculated by ¹H NMR, and with a yield of 30–300 mg per compound. The chemical structures of the ENs were determined by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC–MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The biological activity of the resulting ENs was determined using a mitochondrial respiration test. We discovered that all the ENs studied induced an increase in the mitochondrial respiration resulting in uncoupling of the oxidative phosphorylation. This effect was most likely due to flux of K⁺ ions into the mitochondrial matrix. The order of potency of the ENs derivatives was: A₁ > B₁ > B > A > B₄ > J₁. These results suggest a correlation between the chemical structures and bioactivity and confirm the severe risks for human associated with consumption of enniatins.     

Fate of enniatins and beauvericin during the malting and brewing process determined by stable isotope dilution assays

The fate of enniatins A, A1, B, B1 and beauvericin during the malting and brewing process was investigated. Three batches of barley grains were used as starting material, one was naturally contaminated, two were artificially inoculated with Fusarium fungi. Samples were taken from each key step of the malting and brewing procedure, the levels of the toxins were determined with stable isotope dilution assays using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry detection. Significant increases of the toxins were found during germination of two batches of barley grains, resulting in green malts contamination up to a factor of 3.5 compared to grains before germination. Quantitative PCR analyses of fungal DNA revealed in all batches growth of Fusarium avenaceum during germination. After kilning, only 41–72% of the total amounts of the toxins in green malts remained in kilned malts. In subsequent mashing stage, the toxins in kilned malts predominantly were removed with spent grains. In the final beer, only one batch still contained 74 and 14 μg/kg of enniatin B and B1, respectively. Therefore, the carryover of these enniatins from the initial barley to final beer was less than 0.2% with the main amounts remaining in the spent grains and the malt rootlets.