HPLC-MS/MS Method for the Detection of Selected Toxic Metabolites Produced by Penicillium spp. in Nuts
Penicillium spp. are emerging as producers of mycotoxins and other toxic metabolites in nuts. A HPLC-MS/MS method was developed to detect 19 metabolites produced by Penicillium spp. on chestnuts, hazelnuts, walnuts and almonds. Two extraction methods were developed, one for chestnuts and one for the other three nuts. The recovery, LOD, LOQ and matrix effect were determined for each analyte and matrix. Correlation coefficients were always >99.99%. In walnuts, a strong signal suppression was observed for most analytes and patulin could not be detected. Six strains: Penicillium bialowiezense, P. brevicompactum, P. crustosum, P. expansum, P. glabrum and P. solitum, isolated from chestnuts, were inoculated on four nuts. Chestnuts favored the production of the largest number of Penicillium toxic metabolites. The method was used for the analysis of 41 commercial samples: 71% showed to be contaminated by Penicillium-toxins. Cyclopenin and cyclopenol were the most frequently detected metabolites, with an incidence of 32% and 68%, respectively. Due to the risk of contamination of nuts with Penicillium-toxins, future studies and legislation should consider a larger number of mycotoxins.
Chemometric comparison of almond oxidation rates using kinetic parameters obtained by infrared spectroscopy.
BACKGROUND: The study of almond fat stability is essential from a quality control perspective meanly because, in most of the cases, almonds are sold skinned and thermally treated. In this work an alternative method to Rancimat test based on Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry (ATR-FTIR) was adapted for checking the induced degradation at 75 °C of seven almond oil cultivars, three of top California producing varieties, and, four traditional cultivars harvested in Spain. RESULTS: The thermal oil degradation evolution was followed by measuring the changes in the absorbance of the selected FTIR spectra bands (3470, 3006, 1730, 1630, 988 and 970 cm-1 ). A first-order kinetic behaviour was observed, after an induction time in all bands. CONCLUSIONS: Kinetic coefficients and induction times were easily obtained as the absorbance values (from difference spectra) fitted to pseudo-first-order kinetics after the induction time. Principal Component analysis was applied to the kinetic parameters to visualised which variables could be useful to classify the almond cultivars based on their resistance to thermal oxidation processes. It was found that selecting only the induction times corresponding to the bands 3470, 3006, 1630 and 970 cm-1 a separate classification of the Californian cultivars from the Spanish ones was possible. Finally, a linear discriminant analysis was assayed using only the four induction times previously selected. Validated classification and correct in 100 % of the cases was obtained for all the samples based on their Spanish or Californian origin.
Influence of Roasting on Oil Content, Bioactive Components of Different Walnut Kernel.
A study was carried out to evaluate oil contents, fatty acid composition and tocopherol contents of several walnut types in relation to roasting process. The major fatty acid identified was linoleic acid in both roasted and unroasted walnut oils. Linoleic acid contents of unroasted walnut oil varied from 46.44 (Type 9) and 63.59% (Type 7), while the linoleic acid contents of roasted walnut oils at 120℃/h ranged from 55.95% (Type 3) to 64.86% (Type 10). Interestingly, linolenic acid contents of both roasted and unroasted oils changed between 9.43 (Type 10) and 16.29% (Type 8) to 9.64 (Type 10) and 16.58% (Type 8), respectively and were significant (p < 0.05) different. γ-tocopherol content of unroasted walnut oils varied between 6.3 (Type 3) and 11.4 mg/100g (Type 1) and γ-tocopherol contents of roasted walnut oils ranged between 28.1 (Type 8) and 38.2 mg/100g (Type 3). The oil could be useful for industrial applications owing to good physicochemical properties. Fatty acid values for oil obtained from roasted walnut were slightly higher than those reported for unroasted walnut oils.
Structural and Physicochemical Changes in Almond Milk during In Vitro Gastric Digestion: Impact on the Delivery of Protein and Lipid.
Almond milk (about 3% protein and 7% lipids) was prepared using wet disintegration of raw almonds and then subjected to in vitro gastric digestion using an advanced dynamic digestion model (i.e., a human gastric simulator). Microstructural changes, physicochemical behavior, and protein digestion were examined; the release of lipids and protein during digestion was quantified. Under acidic gastric conditions, almond oil bodies flocculated. Proteolysis by pepsin led to destabilization and coalescence of the oil bodies, resulting in creaming and phase separation. This phase separation significantly delayed the delivery of lipids to the small intestine. After 225 min of digestion, ∼42% of the lipids remained in the stomach. In contrast, protein release was not significantly affected by the gastric behavior of the almond oil bodies. This study provides a better understanding of how the digestive system manages plant lipids, and may be useful in the microstructural design of foods to achieve a controlled physiological response during digestion.
Diagnosis of Peanut Allergy Using Continuous Likelihood Ratios.
Background: Peanut allergy (PA) is associated with an economic and psychologic burden on patients and families. Its diagnosis includes tests for peanut specific IgE (sIgE), the values of which usually are categorized as positive or negative using a predefined cutoff (usually 0.35kU/L). With the use of Bayes theorem, this categorization can be replaced with a continuous interpretation if sIgE which accounts for the prevalence of PA and history of ingestion. Objective: We performed a pilot investigation with the results of oral food challenges (OFC) to evaluate a method for estimating the likelihood ratio (LR) for each value of sIgE. The LR could be used to estimate the probability of PA. Methods: OFC outcomes and serum IgE values from 117 children seen in an allergy clinic between January 2017 to November 2019 were obtained. Polynomial regression of the Receiver Operation Characteristics (ROC) curve was used to determine a LR for each value of sIgE. Linear regression was used to estimate a LR for each of value of sIgE. Results: sIgE ranged from <0.1kU/L to 35kU/L. Bayes' theorem and a ROC curve was used to estimate LRs for each value of peanut sIgE. The value of IgE associated with a LR of 1 was 0.22kU/L, which is comparable to other studies that used a value of 0.35kU/L to separate positive from negative results. Conclusion: When combined with estimates of pretest probability, this method should permit development of computerized decision-making algorithms to estimate the probability that a patient has peanut allergy.
USA: Coronavirus Food Assistance Program
- For reductions of 5% or more in sales price between January 15 and April 15, 2020, payments will be based on the producer's sales (volume) during that timeframe multiplied by a pre-specified payment rate calculated as 80% of the given crop's mid-January to mid-April price change.
- For shipments that left the farm by April 15, 2020, and spoiled due to loss of marketing channels, payments will be based on the volume of shipped, spoiled crops multiplied by a pre-specified payment rate expected to represent 30% of the crop's sales value.
- For shipments that have not left the farm or mature crops that were unharvested between January 15 and April 15, 2020, and which have not been and will not be sold, payments will be based on the volume of unharvested and/or unshipped crops multiplied by a pre-specified payment rate expected to represent 5.875% of the crop's value.
Federal Register Vol. 85, No. 99. Thursday, May 21, 2020. Pages 30825-30835
If there are commodities that are not already identified with payment rates in the CFAP regulation for inclusion in CFAP, the USDA is requesting input. Comments on additional commodities can be submitted by June 22, 2020.
Federal Register Vol. 85, No. 100. Friday, May 22, 2020. Pages 31062-31065
China: Microbiological Limits
The National Food Safety Standard Limits of pathogenic bacteria ready-to-eat food in bulk stipulates the pathogenic microorganism index, limit requirement, sampling rule and inspection method in ready-to-eat food in bulk. This standard is applicable to all kinds of ready-to-eat food in bulk. It is not applicable to catering services and primary agricultural products that have not been processed.
The final date for comments is July 10, 2020.
For further information, please contact us at inc@nutfruit.org.
Ukraine: Health Claims
The deadline for comments is July 19, 2020.
For further information, please contact us at inc@nutfruit.org.