Determination of aflatoxins in wheat and wheat by-products intended for human consumption, marketed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The  consumption  of  wheat  bran,  whole-wheat  grains  and  other  whole-wheat  products  has grown  in recent years in Brazil. These foods are considered more nutritious than the refined ones and have  been associated with  a  reduced risk of  some  major chronic diseases. On the other hand, other research,  carried out in  Brazil, has found  different  groups  of  fungi  toxins,  called mycotoxins, contaminating  these  wheat  products.  Among  these mycotoxins, are the aflatoxins, a group of genotoxic and carcinogenic compounds produced by Aspergillus spp. This study aimed to determine the levels of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 in samples of whole-wheat grains and derivatives, intended  for  human consumption, marketed in the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro,  Brazil. One hundred and eight samples of whole-wheat grains (n=35), wheat bran (n=32), whole-wheat flour (n=26) and refined wheat flour (n=15) marketed in hypermarkets, supermarkets and health food stores were analyzed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FL). Thirty-three samples (30.6%)  were positive for at least one aflatoxin and the B1 form had the highest prevalence in the samples. The overall average was 0.69 µg/kg and the contamination was the highest in the grain samples, followed by bran, whole-flour and refined flour. Just one sample showed total aflatoxins levels (B1+B2+G1+G2) higher than the limit established by Brazilian legislation (5 µg/kg). The levels found in this study indicated that the presence of aflatoxins in wheat and wheat products consumed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, are not a hazard for public health.

Available at: Journal of Food and Nutrition Research

http://pubs.sciepub.com/jfnr/2/10/3/index.html

Keywords: mycotoxins, AFB1, wheat bran, whole-wheat products, HPLC Journal of Food 

ABSTRACT

Antibiotic residues in Brazilian milk: a review of studies published in recent years

Antibiotics are widely used for the treatment of dairy cows and the residues of these drugs may remain in milk and dairy products, which can be a potential threat to human health. Exposure to low levels of antibiotics is considered a public health problem as this may result in the development of resistant strains of human bacteria. The presence of antibiotic residues (AR) in milk is also a problem for the dairy industry as they can inhibit the growth of lactic bacteria. According to Brazilian legislation, antimicrobials should be used in accordance with Good Farming Practices. However, recent studies have reported contamination in milk marketed in the country. This work aimed to review studies, published over the last 10 years, which describe AR in milk marketed in Brazil. The Maximum Residue Limit, the methods for quantification of AR and the results of published studies by authors and government agencies are discussed.

Trombete, Felipe M.; Santos, Regiane R; Souza, André L. R.

Revista chilena de nutrición

Available at: http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php/script_sci_serial/lng_pt/pid_0717-7518/nrm_iso

 

Residuos de antibióticos en la leche comercializada en Brasil: una revisión de los estudios publicados en los últimos años

Los antibióticos se utilizan ampliamente para el tratamien- to de las vacas lecheras y los residuos de estos medicamentos pueden permanecer en la leche y los productos lácteos, los que pueden ser una amenaza potencial para la salud humana. La exposición a bajos niveles de antibióticos se considera un problema de salud pública ya que pueden resultar en el desarrollo de cepas resistentes de bacterias humanos. De acuerdo con la legislación brasileña, los antimicrobianos deben ser utilizados de acuerdo con las Buenas Prácticas Agrícolas. Sin embargo, estudios recientes han informado de la conta- minación de la leche comercializada en el país. Este trabajo tuvo como objetivo revisar los estudios publicados en los últimos 10 años, que describen residuos de antimicrobianos en la leche comercializada en Brasil. Se discuten los límites máximos de residuos, los métodos para la cuantificación y los resultados de los estudios publicados por autores y agencias gubernamentales.