Fullerol C60(OH)24 Nanoparticles Affect Secondary Metabolite Profile of Important Foodborne Mycotoxigenic Fungi In Vitro

Abstract

Despite the efforts to control mycotoxin contamination worldwide, extensive contamination has been reported to occur in food and feed. The contamination is even more intense due to climate changes and different stressors. This study examined the impact of fullerol C60(OH)24 nanoparticles (FNP) (at 0, 1, 10, 100, and 1000 ng mL−1) on the secondary metabolite profile of the most relevant foodborne mycotoxigenic fungi from genera Aspergillus, Fusarium, Alternaria and Penicillium, during growth in vitro. Fungi were grown in liquid RPMI 1640 media for 72 h at 29 °C, and metabolites were investigated by the LC-MS/MS dilute and shoot multimycotoxin method. Exposure to FNP showed great potential in decreasing the concentrations of 35 secondary metabolites; the decreases were dependent on FNP concentration and fungal genus. These results are a relevant guide for future examination of fungi-FNP interactions in environmental conditions. The aim is to establish the exact mechanism of FNP action and determine the impact such interactions have on food and feed safety.

Penicillium expansum Impact and Patulin Accumulation on Conventional and Traditional Apple Cultivars

“…This is manifested in the form of soft rot of the whole fruit, part of the fruit or localized dark spots on the fruit skin and limited tanning of the fruit meat on the cross-section of the fruit. In addition to the reduction of apple quality, secondary metabolism of P. expansum produces patulin, a mycotoxin that could lead to acute, subacute and chronic toxic problems, including genotoxicity, immunotoxicity and neurotoxicity [5][6][7][8]. Most often, infection with mycotoxigenic fungi takes place through damaged surfaces, insect wounds or splits that can occur from growing to postharvest storage and markets.…”

Mycotoxins in food – how to prevent and what to do when things go bad

“…due to different chemical properties of mycotoxins and different localization within the crop [28]). There is also a possibility of treating crops or storages by antifungal or antimycotoxigenic agents (both synthesized [29][30][31] and natural [32,33], or in form of nanoparticles [34][35][36][37]) to reduce the contamination with mycotoxins. When crops are processed and transported, the precautions need to be taken to minimize the damage and ensure the whole outer (protective) shell that will defend the crop form fungal contamination.…”

Fullerol C60(OH)24 Nanoparticles and Drought Impact on Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) during Growth and Infection with Aspergillus flavus

“…Fullerols C 60 (OH) 24 are oxidized fullerene C 60 derivatives that are soluble in water, a result of the passage of fullerene C 60 through different environmentally relevant routes and photoexcitation in the presence of oxygen [ 1 ]. In the environment, fullerene C 60 is present in nano-sized form (nC 60 ) and its environmentally relevant daughter product fullerol C 60 (OH) 24 nanoparticles (FNP) has a tendency to form aggregates in water, with a size ranking from 1 to 100 nm in diameter, and most of them take up 10 nm [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]. The nC 60 and FNP are the result of natural processes in geological materials, but their presence in the environment could be the result of accidental and intentional release processes such as domestic propane and natural gas combustion, fuel-gas burning, ethylene flames, candle emissions, and coal and biomass burning.…”

“…Nanomaterials have the ability to interact with the environment although their reactivity is still poorly understood. Much effort has been put into understanding the mechanisms of FNP action during their interaction with mycotoxigenic fungi [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]. Former research raises questions about the impact of FNP on real substrates for foodborne fungi.…”