Biomarker approaches for assessing the early life exposure to multiple mycotoxins in the diet

• Grant number: 19/21603-1
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• Start date: November 01, 2020
• End date: April 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Carlos Augusto Fernandes de Oliveira
• Grantee: Carlos Augusto Fernandes de Oliveira
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil
• Pesquisadores principais: Leandra Náira Zambelli Ramalho
• Associated researchers: Alessandra Vincenzi Jager ; Carlos Humberto Corassin ; Fábio Enrique Lemos Budiño ; Fernando Gustavo Tonin ; Fernando Silva Ramalho ; Ivan Savioli Ferraz ; Luiz Antônio Del Ciampo
• Associated research grant(s): 22/01920-5 - Multi-user equipment approved in grant 2019/21603-1: automated solid phase extraction (SPE) system, GX-274 ASPEC, Gilson, AP.EMU
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/14587-8 - Assessment of Functional Yoghurt Efficacy to Decrease the Toxic Effects of Aflatoxins Alone or in Combination with Fumonisins on Piglets, BP.IC; 24/16125-1 - Assessment of Functional Yoghurt Efficacy to Decrease the Toxic Effects of Aflatoxins Alone or in Combination with Fumonisins on Piglets, BP.TT; 24/13475-1 - Assessment of Functional Yoghurt Efficacy to Decrease the Teratogenic Effects of Aflatoxins on Wistar Rats During Pregnancy, BP.IC; + associated scholarships 24/00896-9 - APPLICATION OF COLD ATMOSPHERIC PLASMA FOR THE DEGRADATION OF AFLATOXIN B1 AND DEOXYNIVALENOL IN INFANT CEREALS, BP.DR; 23/05989-2 - Assessment of mycotoxin co-occurrence in infant foods in Pirassununga and Ribeirão Preto/SP, BP.DD; 23/05597-7 - "In Vitro" Bioavailability of Main Mycotoxins Found in Food Samples and Exposure Assessment, BP.IC; 23/05605-0 - Assessment of Human Pre-Natal Exposure to Mycotoxins in Ribeirão Preto/SP, BP.IC; 23/00508-6 - Assessment of Mycotoxin Co-occurrence in Infant Foods in Pirassununga and Ribeirão Preto/SP, BP.IC; 22/15367-6 - In vitro bioavailability of main mycotoxins found in food samples and exposure assessment, BP.PD; 22/15501-4 - Development of Functional Yoghurt Containing Yeast and LAB Biomass to Reduce the Bioavailability of Aflatoxins, BP.IC; 22/07314-0 - Assessment of infants and young children exposure to dietary mycotoxins in Ribeirão Preto/SP, BP.IC; 22/05066-9 - Assessment of functional yoghurt efficacy to decrease the toxic effects of aflatoxins alone or in combination with fumonisins on piglets, BP.DD; 22/03952-1 - Assessment of infants and young children exposure to dietary mycotoxins in Ribeirão Preto/SP, BP.PD - associated scholarships

Abstract

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by fungi that occur naturally in foodstuffs, which can cause a large variety of toxic effects on vertebrates, including humans. The fact that some mycotoxins are carcinogenic (e.g., aflatoxins) and could be detected in breast milk, food and feedstuffs constitutes a serious human and animal health threat, mainly to children and young animals due to their high physiological vulnerability. This Thematic Project is constituted by 8 work packages (WP), which have independent and complementary objectives for advance in the knowledge concerning the exposure assessment of children to dietary mycotoxins using biomarker approaches and multi-mycotoxin analysis in food, as well as the in vitro determination of mycotoxin bioavailability, and the development of a functional dairy product containing lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeast biomass to reduce the dietary exposure to aflatoxins. The specific objectives of WPs are: WP-1: To assess de pre-natal exposure of pregnant women to dietary mycotoxins in Ribeirão Preto/SP, using mycotoxin biomarkers in fetus' tissues. WP-2: To assess the exposure of lactating mothers and infant babies to mycotoxins during lactation in Pirassununga/SP (currently ongoing - PhD scholarship FAPESP, Grant 2017/12956-2), and characterize the associated risk. WP-3: To assess the exposure of infants (e 1 year and < 2 years old), preschoolers (e2 and < 6 years old), schoolchildren (e 6 years and < 10 years old) and adolescents (e 10 years and < 19 years old) from Ribeirão Preto/SP to multiple mycotoxins in the diet using food data and biomarkers in urine, and characterize the associated risk. WP-4: To determine the co-occurrence of mycotoxins in infant formula, fruit- and cereal-based foods traded in Pirassununga and Ribeirão Preto/SP. WP-5: To determine the in vitro bioavailability of regulated mycotoxins in Brazil, and adjust the exposure assessment of children to mycotoxins obtained in WP-3 through food data and biomarkers present in the urine. WP-6: To develop innovative functional yoghurt containing yeast and LAB biomass to reduce the bioavailability of aflatoxins. WP-7: To assess efficacy of the functional yoghurt developed in WP-6 to decrease the teratogenic effects of aflatoxins on Wistar rats during pregnancy. WP-8: To assess the efficacy of the functional yoghurt developed in WP-6 to decrease the toxic effects of aflatoxins in feed, alone or in combination with fumonisins, on piglets. (AU)

Scientific publications

(11)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

ISMAIL, AMIR; NAEEM, IQRA; GONG, YUN YUN; ROUTLEDGE, MICHAEL N.; AKHTAR, SAEED; RIAZ, MUHAMMAD; RAMALHO, LEANDRA NAIRA ZAMBELLI; OLIVEIRA, CARLOS AUGUSTO FERNANDES DE; ISMAIL, ZUBAIR. Early life exposure to dietary aflatoxins, health impact and control perspectives: A review. TRENDS IN FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, v. 112, p. 212-224, JUN 2021. (19/21603-1)

NUNES, VALERIA M. R.; MOOSAVI, MOTAHAREH; KHANEGHAH, AMIN MOUSAVI; OLIVEIRA, CARLOS A. F.. Innovative modifications in food processing to reduce the levels of mycotoxins. CURRENT OPINION IN FOOD SCIENCE, v. 38, p. 7-pg., 2021-04-01. (19/21603-1, 18/15432-7)

DA SILVA, JOAO VICTOR BATISTA; DE OLIVEIRA, CARLOS AUGUSTO FERNANDES; RAMALHO, LEANDRA NAIRA ZAMBELLI. ffects of Prenatal Exposure to Aflatoxin B1: A Revie. Molecules, v. 26, n. 23, DEC 2021. (19/21603-1)

SILVA, PABLO O.; RAMALHO, LEANDRA N. Z.; OLIVEIRA, CARLOS A. F.; RAMALHO, FERNANDO S.. Reproductive, gestational, and fetal alterations induced by dietary mycotoxins: A systematic review. Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira, v. 44, p. 16-pg., 2024-01-01. (19/21603-1)

FREIRE, LUCAS GABRIEL DIONISIO; ALI, SHER; DE OLIVEIRA, CARLOS AUGUSTO FERNANDES. Evaluation of Adsorbent's Efficiency by Using Biomarker Approaches in Farm Animals: A Systematic Review. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL, v. 12, n. 24, p. 13-pg., 2022-12-01. (19/21603-1, 22/05066-9, 22/03952-1)

PIRES, ROGERIO CURY; CALUMBY, JULIA DA COSTA; ROSIM, ROICE ELIANA; PIRES, ROGERIO D'ANTONIO; BOROWSKY, ALINE MOREIRA; ALI, SHER; DE PAIVA, ESTHER LIMA; SILVA, RAMON; PIMENTEL, TATIANA COLOMBO; DA CRUZ, ADRIANO GOMES; et al. Evaluation of Ability of Inactivated Biomasses of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae to Adsorb Aflatoxin B₁ In Vitro. FOODS, v. 13, n. 20, p. 12-pg., 2024-10-01. (22/03952-1, 19/21603-1, 22/15367-6, 22/07439-7)

FREIRE, LUCAS GABRIEL DIONISIO; ALI, SHER; DE OLIVEIRA, CARLOS AUGUSTO FERNANDES. Effectiveness of biological decontamination methods to reduce the toxic effects of mycotoxins in animal models: a review. Toxin Reviews, v. 43, n. 4, p. 19-pg., 2024-06-25. (22/03952-1, 19/21603-1, 22/05066-9)

COPPA, CAROLINA F. S. C.; CIRELLI, AMANDA C.; GONCALVES, BRUNA L.; BARNABE, ELIANA M. B.; PETTA, TANIA; FRANCO, LARISSA T.; JAVANMARDI, FARDIN; KHANEGHAH, AMIN MOUSAVI; LEE, I, SARAH H.; CORASSIN, CARLOS H.; et al. Mycotoxin occurrence in breast milk and exposure estimation of lactating mothers using urinary biomarkers in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Environmental Pollution, v. 279, JUN 15 2021. (19/21603-1, 17/12956-2)

SILVA, ISABELA MARIA DE MOURA; DA CRUZ, ADRIANO GOMES; ALI, SHER; FREIRE, LUCAS GABRIEL DIONISIO; FONSECA, LUZIANNA MACEDO; ROSIM, ROICE ELIANA; CORASSIN, CARLOS HUMBERTO; DE OLIVEIRA, RODRIGO BARBOSA ACIOLI; DE OLIVEIRA, CARLOS AUGUSTO FERNANDES. Incidence and Levels of Aflatoxin M-1 in Artisanal and Manufactured Cheese in Pernambuco State, Brazil. TOXINS, v. 15, n. 3, p. 10-pg., 2023-03-01. (22/03952-1, 19/21603-1)

ALI, SHER; REZENDE, VANESSA THEODORO; ULLAH, SANA; DE PAIVA, ESTHER LIMA; TONIN, FERNANDO GUSTAVO; ABDULLAH; CORASSIN, CARLOS HUMBERTO; DE OLIVEIRA, CARLOS AUGUSTO FERNANDES. Food processing and challenges in the food production and quality: The foodomics approach. FOOD BIOSCIENCE, v. 56, p. 13-pg., 2023-10-09. (22/03952-1, 19/21603-1, 22/15367-6, 23/05989-2)

ULLAH, SANA; ALI, SHER; REZENDE, VANESSA THEODORO; NABI, GHULAM; TONIN, FERNANDO GUSTAVO; DE OLIVEIRA, CARLOS AUGUSTO FERNANDES. Global occurrence and levels of mycotoxins in infant foods: A systematic review (2013-2024). FOOD CONTROL, v. 171, p. 17-pg., 2025-01-07. (23/05989-2, 19/21603-1, 22/03952-1)