Sterigmatocystin Occurrence in Paddy and Processed Rice Produced in Italy in the Years 2014–2015 and Distribution in Milled Rice Fractions

Abstract

The occurrence of sterigmatocystin (STC) in paddy and processed rice samples produced in Italy was surveyed. After extraction and purification, STC was analysed using HPLC-MS/MS. STC was detected in all paddy rice samples (n = 49), in the range 0.29–15.85 μg·kg−1. As regards processed rice, a widespread contamination was found in brown and parboiled rice. All the brown rice samples were contaminated between 0.12 and 1.32 μg·kg−1; for parboiled rice, the incidence was 90.9% and the maximum level was 1.09 μg·kg−1. The contamination in white rice was significantly lower (p < 0.01). The STC distribution in different rice fractions, obtained by the de-hulling and polishing processes, was evaluated. After de-hulling, the STC percentage remaining in brown rice was in the range 21.2%–30.8%. The polishing process, from brown to white rice, caused another remarkable decrease of contamination; the STC remaining in white rice was 2.2%–8.3% of the amount found in paddy rice.

Known and Emerging Mycotoxins in Small- and Large-Scale Brewed Beer

“…These results were slightly lower than those found in previous European surveys: Varga et al [13] detected OTA in Hungarian beers at levels of 0.030-0.250 µg/L and Medina et al [14] at levels of 0.007-0.204 µg/L in beers marketed in Spain. In our previous survey on beers produced in different European countries, an average value for OTA of 0.019 µg/L and an incidence of positives samples of 67.9% were found [12]. More recently, Lhotska et al [15] detected OTA in 90% of Czech beer samples These results were slightly lower than those found in previous European surveys: Varga et al [13] detected OTA in Hungarian beers at levels of 0.030-0.250 µg/L and Medina et al [14] at levels of 0.007-0.204 µg/L in beers marketed in Spain.…”

“…More recently, Lhotska et al [15] detected OTA in 90% of Czech beer samples These results were slightly lower than those found in previous European surveys: Varga et al [13] detected OTA in Hungarian beers at levels of 0.030-0.250 µg/L and Medina et al [14] at levels of 0.007-0.204 µg/L in beers marketed in Spain. In our previous survey on beers produced in different European countries, an average value for OTA of 0.019 µg/L and an incidence of positives samples of 67.9% were found [12]. More recently, Lhotska et al [15] detected OTA in 90% of Czech beer samples at levels lower than 0.06 µg/L; in the same survey, CIT was detected in only 4 of 49 samples (maximum value of 0.19 µg/L).…”

“…The STC analytical standard was obtained from Sigma-Aldrich (Milan, Italy), while the internal standard [ 13 C 18 ]-sterigmatocystin (96.4% 13 C) was purchased from Biopure (Tulln, Austria) as standard solution in acetonitrile (1.2 mL, 25.7 µg/mL, uncertainty 1.02 µg/mL). Stock and working STC standard solutions were prepared and calibrated spectrophotometrically as reported by Bertuzzi et al [12].…”

Sterigmatocystin in foodstuffs and feed: aspects to consider

“…The natural occurrence of STC in foodstuffs and feed has been reported in a limited number of surveys ( Table 2 ). Reports from year 2000 to 2017 have presented STC contamination in several foodstuffs such as rice (Sawane and Sawane 2014 ; Mo et al 2015 ; Rofiat et al 2015 ; Bertuzzi et al 2017 ), bread (Veršilovskis and Bartkevičs 2012 ), wheat bran (Tančinová and Labuda 2009 ), grain (Veršilovskis et al 2008a ; Mo et al 2015 ;), maize (Warth et al 2012 ; Mo et al 2015 ;), groundnuts (Warth et al 2012 ), peanut seed (Youssef et al 2008 ), coffee bean (Bokhari and Aly 2009 ; Culliao and Barcelo 2015 ), beer (Veršilovskis et al 2008b ), cheese (Veršilovskis et al 2009 ), cereal grains, cereal products (Mo et al 2015 ) and almond seed (Yassin et al 2013 ). Additionally, some reports in animal feed found contamination in grass (Nichea et al 2015 ), feed mixture (Labuda and Tančinová 2006 ; Warth et al 2012 ), wheat, corn, barley, soybean, sunflower cake (Kovalenko et al 2011 ), silage (El-Shanawany et al 2005 ), straw and hay (Mol et al 2014 ).…”

Reduction of sterigmatocystin biosynthesis and growth of food-borne fungi by lactic acid

“…Sterigmatocystin (STE) is a secondary metabolite a variety of fungal species ( Aspergillus spp., Eurotium spp., Emericella spp., Drechslera spp., Bipolaris spp., Chaetomium spp., and Penicillium spp.). STE has been isolated from a variety of different foods (cereals, cheese, bread, spices, coffee, soya, beans, pistachios, and other nuts) and feeds [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]. This mycotoxin shows a variety of toxicological, mutagenic, and carcinogenic effects in animals (liver, kidney, and renal necrosis in rats) and is thought to be involved in the etiology of chronic liver disease in people living in Africa [ 4 , 7 ].…”