Departamento de Alimentação e Nutrição
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- 6th International Conference on Food Contaminants: Challenges on Emerging Contaminants and Planetary Health: Book of AbstractsPublication . Vasco, Elsa; Alvito, PaulaThe 6th International Conference on Food Contaminants (ICFC2025), focused on Challenges in Emerging Contaminants and Planetary Health, was held in person from 25–26 September 2025 at the auditorium of the Museu de Eletricidade, Casa da Luz, in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal. The conference addressed the growing challenge posed by emerging contaminants (ECs) in food and the environment, emphasising how their spread through the food chain threatens food safety and public health. Discussions explored policies to reduce exposure to food contaminants, examined the health impacts of chemical and biological contaminants—including occurrence, exposure assessment, and biomonitoring—highlighted advances in analytical methods for detecting emerging contaminants, and considered the full spectrum of their toxicity. These interconnected themes framed a comprehensive dialogue on safeguarding both human health and the wider ecosystem. This multidisciplinary meeting provided a dynamic forum for established experts and early-career researchers to exchange the latest knowledge on food contaminants and their implications for human and planetary health. The scientific programme featured one keynote lecture, five invited lectures, 14 oral presentations, 43 poster presentations, and two round-table discussions. A Best Poster Award was also presented.
- From health impact to green choices: The dual impact of fermented foodsPublication . Assunção, Ricardo; Laranjo, MartaFermented foods (FF) have been an essential part of human diets across cultures, cherished for their distinctive flavors and preservation capabilities. Beyond their culinary value, FF have shown significant potential health benefits (1). Studies link fermented foods to antioxidation, lower blood lipid levels, enhanced immunity, tumor inhibition, delayed aging, and prevention of gastrointestinal disorders (2). However, their consumption needs caution regarding potential risks, such as pathogenic contamination or the formation of harmful by-products during fermentation. The safety of fermented foods is currently being systematically revised within the PIMENTO CA20128 under WG3-Health benefits and risks of fermented foods. To navigate these complexities, risk-benefit assessment methodologies provide a robust scientific framework to evaluate the trade-offs, enabling evidence-based dietary recommendations (3). Sustainability is another pivotal aspect of fermented foods. In the face of global challenges like food waste and climate change, fermentation emerges as a key strategy (4). For instance, kimchi and sauerkraut help preserve surplus vegetables, while yogurt and kefir optimize dairy utilization. Nonetheless, the production of certain products, such as fermented meats, underscores the need for strategies to mitigate their environmental impacts while maintaining their benefits. This communication highlights the dual role of fermented foods in promoting health and enhancing sustainability. By bridging tradition and innovation, fermented foods hold the potential to support the transition towards sustainable food systems, paving the way for future diets that address pressing public health and environmental priorities.
- Production and characterization of protein-rich extracts from the red macroalga Gelidium corneum and its industrial agar extraction residuesPublication . Mateus, Marília; Mão de Ferro, Rita; Pinheiro, Helena M.; Machado, Remígio; R. da Fonseca, M. Manuela; Sapatinha, Maria; Pires, Carla; Marmelo, Isa; Marques, António; Nunes, Maria Leonor; Motta, Carla; Cesário, M. TeresaThe red macroalga Gelidium corneum is a species commercially exploited for agar extraction, though with enormous potential for other industrial applications. This work aimed to produce protein-rich extracts from the crude alga and from residues of the industrial agar extraction process by applying different extraction and recovery procedures, and to characterize the obtained protein extracts. The sequential implementation of two water extractions followed by two alkaline extractions resulted in the recovery of 12.0 ± 1.2 % and 15.4 ± 0.9 % of the total protein contents of the crude alga and industrial residues, respectively. Two sequential water extractions assisted by Celluclast® and Alcalase® enzymes followed by two alkaline extractions recovered 52.1 ± 1.7 % and 36.5 ± 1.3 % of the protein contents of the crude alga and industrial residues, respectively. Extracts produced by these processes were characterized focusing on proximal composition, protein accessibility, nutrition and antioxidant potential, showing value as aquaculture feed ingredients. As all protein products revealed high carbohydrate contents and, aiming at enriching protein content, different protein precipitation methods were assessed, namely through ammonium sulfate precipitation and pH-shift protocols. The pH-shift method in sequential mode proved to be simple and fast with low reagent consumption. The purification of extracts by this precipitation mode allowed precipitating up to 72 % of the extracted protein. The results obtained suggest that protein concentrates extracted from Gelidium corneum appear to be promising sustainable sources for fish feed production, owing to their essential amino acid content, protein bioaccessibility and antioxidant properties.
- Urinary multi-mycotoxin exposure in the Portuguese population and associated sociodemographic determinantsPublication . Maris, Elias; Namorado, Sónia; Chen, An; Pero-Gascon, Roger; De Boevre, Marthe; De Saeger, Sarah; Silva, Maria João; Alvito, PaulaEuropean human biomonitoring (HBM) studies have increasingly adopted multi-mycotoxin approaches to capture complex exposure scenarios encountered in real-life diets. This nation-wide study provides the characterization, for the first time, of the mycotoxin profile of 295 urine samples collected from the Portuguese population in the continent and islands (archipelagos of Madeira and Azores), using an optimized and validated LC-MS/MS method for the characterization of 39 mycotoxins/metabolites. Nearly all study participants (99.3%) were exposed to at least one mycotoxin, with around half (54.2%) being co-exposed to only 2 detectable mycotoxins. Free-deoxynivalenol (free-DON, 84.7%) and tenuazonic acid (TeA, 95.6%) were the most prevalent mycotoxins. Citrinin (CIT, 11.5%), α-zearalenone (α-ZEL, 10.5%) and ochratoxin A (OTA, 9.5%) showed detection rates near 10%. Median concentrations (P50) for the two predominant mycotoxins were 0.79 μg/L (0.72 μg/g creatinine) for free-DON and 2.45 μg/L (2.08 μg/g creatinine) for TeA, with maximum values of 11.77 μg/L (10.06 μg/g creatinine) and 90.91 μg/L (114.15 μg/g creatinine), respectively. Sociodemographic patterns showed lower exposure in the Centre region and higher free-DON exposure in southern Portugal and the archipelagos. TeA exposure differed significantly by region and was lowest in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area and Algarve compared to the Center reference region. Low educational levels and spring sampling correlated with higher exposure for both toxins, but only education levels showed statistical significance in the linear regression analyses. For both TeA and free-DON, no differences in exposure were observed by sex, occupational status, or degree of urbanization. Overall, these findings underscore the importance of continuous surveillance, particularly under the current climate change scenario, and highlight the relevance of integrating human biomonitoring into national food safety and public health strategies.