Mycotoxin contamination in the Arab world: Highlighting the main knowledge gaps and the current legislation

Integrating a Multiple Isotopologue Reaction-Monitoring Technique and LC-MS/MS for Quantitation of Small Molecules: Ten Mycotoxins in Cereals as an Example

“…2,3 The contaminated cereals and feeds are transferred into organisms through the food chain, posing potential threats to humans and livestock. 5,6 To date, more than 400 mycotoxins have been identified. Given the extent of contamination and the resultant toxic effects, certain mycotoxins have garnered prominent concerns, including aflatoxins (AFs), trichothecenes, ochratoxin A (OTA), and fumonisin B 1 (FB 1 ).…”

“…4,7,8 In light of the widespread contamination and toxicity of mycotoxins in cereals, feeds, and other consumables, stringent limits for the major mycotoxins in grains have been established by many countries. 5 However, the co-occurrence of multiple mycotoxins in cereals presents a complex challenge due to potential interactions among these compounds. 3,9 Thus, developing a reliable and robust method for accurately quantifying multiple mycotoxins in cereals holds paramount significance.…”

“…22,24,29 For mycotoxins, they generally contain fewer than 15 carbon atoms and molecular weights ranging from 100 to 500 Da; it is challenging to employ the ISCC strategy for quantitative analysis of mycotoxins with small molecules. 5,15 Furthermore, the low isotopic abundance of 13 Clabeled SIL-IS poses difficulties in selecting suitable SIL-ISs for each compound to develop ISCC methods. 15,27 The linearity range of the calibration curve can be optimized by selecting the appropriate MIRM channel; the upper limit of quantification (ULOQ) remains constrained by the spiked SIL-IS concentration.…”

“…Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites primarily produced by fungi, such as Aspergillus , Penicillium , and Alternaria , during the growth and storage of crops. , The prevalence of mycotoxins has raised significant concerns globally, with approximately 25% of the world’s food supply being contaminated. − Furthermore, 2% of the food becomes unusable due to the severe contamination. , The contaminated cereals and feeds are transferred into organisms through the food chain, posing potential threats to humans and livestock. , To date, more than 400 mycotoxins have been identified. Given the extent of contamination and the resultant toxic effects, certain mycotoxins have garnered prominent concerns, including aflatoxins (AFs), trichothecenes, ochratoxin A (OTA), and fumonisin B 1 (FB 1 ). , Notably, aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ) and aflatoxin G 1 (AFG 1 ) have been classified as group A carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Meanwhile, FB 1 and OTA belong to group 2B.…”

“…Given the extent of contamination and the resultant toxic effects, certain mycotoxins have garnered prominent concerns, including aflatoxins (AFs), trichothecenes, ochratoxin A (OTA), and fumonisin B 1 (FB 1 ). 4,5 Notably, aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ) and aflatoxin G 1 (AFG 1 ) have been classified as group A carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Meanwhile, FB 1 and OTA belong to group 2B.…”