Browsing by Author "Monteiro, S."
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- Detection of enteric viruses and SARS-CoV-2 in beach sandPublication . Robalo, A.; Brandão, João; Shibata, T.; Solo-Gabriele, H.; Santos, R.; Monteiro, S.Beach sand harbors a diverse group of microbial organisms that may be of public health concern. Nonetheless, little is known about the presence and distribution of viruses in beach sand. In this study, the first objective was to evaluate the presence of seven viruses (Aichi virus, enterovirus, hepatitis A virus, human adenovirus, norovirus, rotavirus, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)) in sands collected at public beaches. The second objective was to assess the spatial distribution of enteric viruses in beach sand. To that end, 27 beach sand samples from different beaches in Portugal were collected between November 2018 and August 2020 and analyzed for the presence of viruses. At seven beaches, samples were collected in the supratidal and intertidal zones. Results show that viruses were detected in 89 % (24/27) of the sand samples. Aichi virus was the most prevalent (74 %). Noroviruses were present in 19 % of the samples (norovirus GI - 15 %, norovirus GII - 4 %). Human adenovirus and enterovirus were detected in 48 % and 22 % of the samples, respectively. Hepatitis A virus and rotavirus were not detected. Similarly, SARS-CoV-2 in beach sand collected during the initial stages of the pandemic was also not detected. The detection of three or more viruses occurred in 15 % of the samples. Concentrations of viruses were as high as 7.2 log copies (cp)/g of sand. Enteric viruses were found in higher prevalence in sand collected from the supratidal zone compared to the intertidal zone. Human adenovirus was detected in 43 % of the supratidal and 14 % in the intertidal samples and Aichi virus in 57 % and 86 % of the intertidal and supratidal areas, respectively. Our findings suggest that beach sand can be a reservoir of enteric viruses, suggesting that it might be a vehicle for disease transmission, particularly for children, the elderly, and immunocompromised users.
- Risk-benefit assessment in foods: a case study involving mycotoxinsPublication . Alvito, Paula; Assunção, Ricardo; Martins, C.; Viegas, S.; Fernandes, P.; Carvalho-Oliveira, I.; Torres, D.; Monteiro, S.; Nabais, P.; Membré, J.M.; Boué, G.; Persson, M.; Thompsen, S.; Jakobsen, L.; Pires, S.; Poulsen, M.State of the art. Data from a recent Portuguese national project that studied the toxic effects of children exposure (under 3 years old) to multiple mycotoxins in infant foods (MYCOMIX) reported the co-occurrence of 21 mycotoxins and metabolites present in breakfast cereals primarily marketed for children. This study showed that 96% of the analyzed breakfast cereal samples were contaminated with mycotoxins1,2. The output of this project also highlighted the knowledge gaps on the contra-balance beneficial health effect of these foods, and the need to determine the risk-benefit balance, since the evaluated food products, namely breakfast cereals, are simultaneously recognized vehicles of food components, like nutrients, vitamins and water soluble and insoluble fibers, which could be assumed as beneficial for children health.
- Risk-Benefit Assessment in foods: a case study involving mycotoxinsPublication . Alvito, Paula; Assunção, R.; Martins, Carla; Viegas, S.; Fernandes, P.; Carvalho-Oliveira, I.; Torres, D.; Lopes, C.; Monteiro, S.; Nabais, P.; Membré, J.M.; Boué, G.; Persson, M.; Thompsen, S.; Jakobsen, L.; Pires, S.; Poulsen, M.Over the last years, the contamination of different foodstuffs with multiple mycotoxins has been highly reported. Data from a recent Portuguese national project that studied the toxic effects of exposure of children under 3 years old to multiple mycotoxins in infant foods (MYCOMIX) reported the co-occurrence of twenty-one mycotoxins and metabolites present in breakfast cereals primarily marketed for children. This study showed that almost all of the analyzed breakfast cereal samples (96%) were contaminated with mycotoxins. The output of this project also highlighted the knowledge gaps on the contra-balance beneficial health effect of these foods, and the need to determine the risk-benefit balance, since the evaluated food products, namely breakfast cereals, are simultaneously recognized vehicles of food components, like nutrients, vitamins and water soluble and insoluble fibers, which could be assumed as beneficial for children health. Health risks associated with consumption of cereal-based foods, an important source of nutrients with beneficial health effects, could increase in the near future due to climate changes in Europe (dry conditions and increased ambient temperatures) thus the dissemination and use of the Risk-Benefit Assessment (RBA) harmonized tools in Europe would be of utmost importance to support food and health policies. Can we ever have a harmonized tool that enables food and health authorities to estimate the balance between risk and benefit of foods usually contaminated by mycotoxins, as cereals-based products? is a question that can be raised in an attempt to contribute to brainstorm under the topic of the 10th Conference of the World Mycotoxin Forum. “RiskBenefit4EU – Partnering to strengthen the risk-benefit assessment within EU using a holistic approach” (Grant Agreement Number GP/EFSA/AFSCO/2017/01 - GA02) is a recent European pilot project funded by EFSA and coordinated by Portugal (PT), integrating a multidisciplinary team from health and food institutes, national food safety authorities, R&D institutions and academia from PT, Denmark (DK) and France (FR). The main objectives of RiskBenefit4EU concerns the development of a set of RBA tools that can estimate the overall health effects of foods, food ingredients and diets and that can be applied to data from different countries. RiskBenefit4EU aims to strengthen the EU capacity to assess and integrate food risks and benefits in the areas of microbiological, nutritional and chemical components through the development of a harmonized framework. This pilot project will validate the RBA framework created using a Portuguese case study on breakfast cereals, including results obtained under MYCOMIX project.
- Risk-Benefit Assessment in foods: a tool for a better food and health policy in EuropePublication . Assunção, R.; Martins, C.; Brazão, R.; Fernandes, P.; Carvalho-Oliveira, I.; Torres, D.; Lopes, Carla; Carvalho, C.; Vasconcelos, F.; Monteiro, S.; Nabais, P.; Carmona, P.; Persson, M.; Thomsen, S.; Jakobsen, L.; Pires, S.; Poulsen, M.; Membré, JM; Boué, G; Alvito, PaulaRiskBenefit4EU – Partnering to strengthen the risk–benefit assessment within EU using a holistic approach, is a recent European pilot project funded by EFSA and coordinated by Portugal (PT), integrating a multidisciplinary team from health and food institutes, national food safety authorities, R&D institutions and academia from PT, Denmark (DK) and France (FR). The main objectives of RiskBenefit4EU concerns the development of a set of Risk–Benefit Assessment (RBA) tools to assess and integrate food risks and benefits in the areas of microbiological, nutritional and chemical components through the development of a harmonised framework. This pilot project will validate the RBA framework created using a Portuguese case study on cereal-based foods. The research idea for food safety in risk assessment is to create an international network on RBA to promote and disseminate the outputs and knowledge acquired under RiskBenefir4EU, at European level. This network aims to promote knowledge and capacity building on RBA (acquired under RiskBenefit4EU) among European early stage researchers and to apply the harmonised framework on their countries. Health risks associated with consumption of cereal-based foods, an important source of nutrients with beneficial health effects, could increase soon due to climate changes in Europe (dry conditions and increased ambient temperatures could promote an increase in toxins production; occurrence of emergent compounds) so the dissemination and use of the RBA harmonized tools related with ingestion of cereal-based foods and derivatives could contribute to support future food and health policy in Europe.