"In Vitro" Bioavailability of Main Mycotoxins Found in Food Samples and Exposure Assessment

• Grant number: 23/05597-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2023
• End date: May 20, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Carlos Augusto Fernandes de Oliveira
• Grantee: Sibelle Dutra Mendonça
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 19/21603-1 - Biomarker approaches for assessing the early life exposure to multiple mycotoxins in the diet, AP.TEM

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. The objective of this Work Package (WP) is to determine the "in vitro" bioavailability of regulated mycotoxins in Brazil, and adjust the exposure assessment of children to mycotoxins obtained in another WP of the Thematic Project through food data and biomarkers present in the urine.