Browsing by Author "Cunha, S."
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- Assessment of mixtures of mycotoxins in breakfast cereals available in Portuguese marketPublication . Martins, Carla; Assunção, Ricardo; Cunha, S.; Jager, A.; Alvito, PaulaObjective: Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of fungi that cause toxic and carcinogenic outcomes in humans exposed to them1. Mycotoxins affect several commodities including cereal grains and their finished products, infant formula and baby foods2. This study aimed to determine the incidence and levels of 20 mycotoxins (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2, AFM1, OTA, NIV, NEO, DAS, FUS-X, DON, 15-AC-DON, 3-AC-DON, HT-2, T-2, VER, T-2 TETROL, T-2 TRIOL), in breakfast cereals available in the Portuguese market, and compare the results with the maximum limits established by the EU. Methodology: Twenty six breakfast cereal samples, including corn, wheat, oat, rice and multigrain, were collected from supermarkets in Lisbon region and analyzed by HPLC-FLD, LC-MS/MS and GC-MS. Results: Results showed that 88 % breakfast cereals samples were contaminated with mycotoxins (with values above the detection limit), although all samples presented levels below the maximum limits established by the Commission Regulation 1881/20063. OTA and DON were the most commonly detected mycotoxins, with 88% and 73% of samples revealing values above the LOD, respectively. The co-occurrence of different mycotoxins in the same sample was observed in 92 % of the analyzed samples. From these, 46% include mixtures of 3 or 4 mycotoxins. These results are accordingly to those reported by Juan et al (2014)4 and Iqbal et al (2014)5. Conclusions: These results contribute to the increased knowledge on mycotoxin contents in breakfast cereals marketed in Portugal, and they highlight the deep need of further studies to overcome the absence of legislated limits for mycotoxins in breakfast cereals other than DON and FB1 and the absence of legislated limits for mycotoxin mixtures in food. The last issue is particularly important considering the potential synergistic effects that could occur between mycotoxins and its potential impact on human and, mainly, children health.
- Assessment of mixtures of mycotoxins in cereal based foods available in Portuguese marketPublication . Martins, Carla; Assunção, Ricardo; Cunha, S.; Jager, A.; Alvito, PaulaMycotoxins are secondary metabolites of fungi that cause toxic and carcinogenic outcomes in humans exposed to them1. Mycotoxins affect several commodities including cereal grains and their finished products, infant formula and baby foods2. This study aimed to determine the incidence and levels of 20 mycotoxins and metabolites (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2, AFM1, OTA, NIV, NEO, DAS, FUS-X, DON, 15-AC-DON, 3-AC-DON, HT-2, T-2, VER, T-2 TETROL, T-2 TRIOL), in breakfast cereals and cereal based baby foods available in the Portuguese market, and compare the results with the maximum limits established by the EU. Breakfast cereal samples (n=26), including corn, wheat, oat, rice and multigrain, and twenty cereal based baby foods (n=20) were collected from supermarkets in Lisbon region and analyzed by HPLC-FLD, LC-MS/MS and GC-MS. Results showed that 88 % breakfast cereals samples and 50 % of cereal based baby foods were contaminated with mycotoxins (with values above the detection limit), although all samples presented levels below the maximum limits established by the Commission Regulation 1881/20063. Regarding breakfast cereals samples, OTA and DON were the most commonly detected mycotoxins, with 88% and 73% of samples revealing values above the LOD, respectively. The co-occurrence of different mycotoxins in the same sample was observed in 92% of the analyzed samples. From these, 46% include mixtures of 3 or 4 mycotoxins. Regarding cereal based baby foods, OTA and AFM1 were the most commonly detected mycotoxins with 50% and 40% of samples revealing values above the LOD. The co-occurrence of mycotoxins was observed in 35% of the analyzed samples. These results are accordingly to those reported by Juan et al (2014)4 and Iqbal et al (2014)5. These results contribute to the increased knowledge on mycotoxin contents in cereal based foods marketed in Portugal, and they highlight the deep need of further studies to overcome the absence of legislated limits for mycotoxins in breakfast cereals other than DON and FB1 and the absence of legislated limits for mycotoxin mixtures in food. The last issue is particularly important considering the potential synergistic effects that could occur between mycotoxins and its potential impact on human and, mainly, children health.
- Assessment of multiple mycotoxins in breakfast cereals available in the Portuguese marketPublication . Martins, Carla; Assunção, Ricardo; Cunha, S.; Fernandes, José; Jagger, A.; Petta, T.; Oliveira, C.; Alvito, PaulaMycotoxins are secondary metabolites of fungi that cause toxic and carcinogenic effects. Human exposure to multiple mycotoxins constitutes an increasing health concern due to potential mycotoxins combined effects. The presence of mycotoxins mixtures in foodstuffs as cereals has been reported over the last years, but few studies are available concerning its occurrence in cereals primarily marketed for children, a particular vulnerable population group. The present study aims to assess the co-occurrence of twenty-one mycotoxins and metabolites present in breakfast cereals primarily marketed for children in Portugal. Results showed that 96% of the analysed breakfast cereal samples were contaminated with several mycotoxins. Twenty-two combinations were identified including two to seven different mycotoxins. Conclusions pointed out an urgent need to review legislative limits in food matrices consumed by children and to perform a more accurate risk assessment of children’s exposure to mycotoxins mixtures in food.
- First case of Autochthonous Tularaemia reported in PortugalPublication . Cunha, F.; Oliveira, D.; Lopes, C.; Lopes de Carvalho, I.; Núncio, M.S.; Serra, J. E.; Gonçalves, R.; Cunha, S.Tularaemia is a zoonotic disease caused by Francisella tularensis, a Gram-negative, facultative intracellular bacterium. Transmission to humans occurs through contact with infected animals or contaminated environments, or through arthropod vectors. The disease has a broad geographical distribution; in Europe, recent outbreaks have been reported in Sweden, Hungary and Spain. In Portugal, F. tularensis subsp. holarctica was already detected in different tick species, lagomorphs and was also reported a ulceroglandular form of tularemia but with imported origin. Here we report the first notified case of autochthonous tularaemia in Portugal.
- Ocorrência de micotoxinas em alimentos comercializados em PortugalPublication . Martins, Carla; Assunção, Ricardo; Pires, M.J.; Cunha, S.; Petta, T.; Jagger, A.; Oliveira, C.; Alvito, PaulaAs micotoxinas são metabolitos secundários produzidos por fungos e que causam efeitos tóxicos e cancerígenos no Homem e em animais. As micotoxinas podem contaminar vários géneros alimentícios, incluindo cereais e produtos derivados, fórmulas infantis, leite, fruta, entre outros; constituem assim, não só um problema de segurança alimentar, mas também um problema económico. O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar a incidência e os teores de 21 micotoxinas e metabolitos (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2, AFM1, OTA, FB1, FB2, NIV, ZEA, NEO, DAS, FUS-X, DON, 15-ADON, 3-ADON, HT-2, T-2, VER, T-2 TETROL, T-2 TRIOL) em alimentos disponíveis no mercado português, e comparar os resultados com os limites máximos estabelecidos pela União Europeia. Para este estudo foram analisadas por HPLC-FLD, LC-MS/MS e GC-MS, amostras de cereais de pequeno-almoço (n=26), farinhas infantis (n=20), fórmulas infantis (n=10), bolachas (n=6) e leites UHT (n=21), num total de 83 amostras. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que 96% dos cereais de pequeno-almoço, 50% das farinhas infantis, 50% das bolachas, 40% das fórmulas infantis, e 19% dos leites UHT, estavam contaminados com micotoxinas (valores acima do limite de detecção), embora todas as amostras apresentassem níveis abaixo dos limites máximos estabelecidos no Regulamento 1881/2006 e na Recomendação 165/2013 da Comissão Europeia. A co-ocorrência de micotoxinas diferentes na mesma amostra foi também observada com elevada incidência nas amostras analisadas (92% em cereais pequeno-almoço, 70% em farinhas infantis, 50% em bolachas, 40% em fórmulas infantis, 19% em leites UHT). Estes resultados contribuem para o conhecimento sobre os teores de micotoxinas nos alimentos comercializados em Portugal e consumidos por crianças jovens, salientando assim a necessidade de uma revisão da legislação com vista à diminuição dos limites legais para micotoxinas nos cereais pequeno-almoço, à inclusão de novas combinações matriz alimentar-micotoxina, e ainda a consideração das misturas de micotoxinas nos alimentos. A última questão é particularmente importante considerando os possíveis efeitos sinérgicos que podem ocorrer entre as micotoxinas e seu potencial impacto na saúde humana e, principalmente, na saúde das crianças.
- Ocorrência de micotoxinas em alimentos para crianças comercializados em PortugalPublication . Martins, Carla; Assunção, Ricardo; Pires, M.J.; Cunha, S.; Petta, T.; Jagger, A.; Oliveira, C..; Alvito, PaulaMicotoxinas - características gerais: - são metabolitos secundários produzidos por fungos, capazes de produzir efeitos tóxicos agudos e crónicos (carcinogénicos, mutagénicos, teratogénicos, imunotóxicos e estrogénicos), em animais e humanos; - Os alimentos são susceptíveis à contaminação nas diferentes fases da colheita, produção, armazenamento ou processamento.
- Ocorrência de micotoxinas em produtos à base de cereaisPublication . Martins, Carla; Assunção, Ricardo; Cunha, S.; Jager, A.; Alvito, Paula
- Rickettsia slovaca infection in humans, PortugalPublication . Sousa, R.; Pereira, B. I.; Nazareth, C.; Cabral, S.; Ventura, C.; Crespo, P.; Marques, N.; Cunha, S.Fifteen years after the initial detection of Rickettsia slovaca in ticks in Portugal, 3 autochthonous cases of R. slovaca infection were diagnosed in humans. All patients had an eschar on the scalp and lymphadenopathy; 2 patients had facial edema. R. slovaca infection was confirmed by serologic testing, culture, and PCR.