Review
Chemistry, Analytical
Aurelia Magdalena Pisoschi, Florin Iordache, Loredana Stanca, Adriana Ionescu Petcu, Letitia Purdoiu, Ovidiu Ionut Geicu, Liviu Bilteanu, Andreea Iren Serban
Summary: Aflatoxins are highly toxic secondary metabolites of fungi that are classified as poisonous mycotoxins. They are mainly produced by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus in cereals, peanuts, and animal feeds. Sample preparation techniques, chromatographic methods, and detection techniques are crucial in aflatoxin analysis. Selectivity in analysis is achieved using bio-recognition elements like enzymes, antibodies, or DNA sequences. Determination of aflatoxins is essential for food safety due to their high toxicity and presence in food and agricultural products. The choice of analysis method depends on the sample nature, available equipment, toxin concentration range, sensitivity, detection limit, precision, selectivity, required analysis time, and personnel training.
MICROCHEMICAL JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Burcu Eren, Okan Zenger, Hatice Imge Oktay Basegmez, Gozde Baydemir Pesint
Summary: The aim of this study was to purify laccase using cryogel columns after its production by Aspergillus niger. The cryogel columns showed high surface area and water uptake ratio. Under optimized conditions, a purification factor of 10.53 and an enzyme recovery of 86.7% were achieved. This study suggests that cryogel purification of laccase has great potential for industrial applications, eliminating the need for complex chromatographic steps.
JOURNAL OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Aram Shaldzhyan, Yana Zabrodskaya, Nikita Yolshin, Tatiana Kudling, Alexey Lozhkov, Marina Plotnikova, Edward Ramsay, Aleksandr Taraskin, Peter Nekrasov, Mikhail Grudinin, Andrey Vasin
Summary: Type III interferons have antiviral activity against a variety of viruses and may have therapeutic advantages over type I interferons due to more targeted gene activation. This study successfully expressed hIFN-lambda 1 in inclusion bodies and developed effective refolding and purification methods, resulting in a high yield and purity product with expected biological activity.
PROCESS BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Mansooreh Mazaheri, Masoumeh Mahmoodi Maymand, Amir Gilasgar, Alireza Akbarzadeh, Mohammamad Hanif Manafi
Summary: An economic and simple analytical method for detecting Zearalenone in maize oil was developed, showing good recovery rates and low relative standard deviations. Among refined maize oil samples from different brands collected in Tehran market, 55% were found to contain Zearalenone, but all results were below the maximum limits set by Iranian national standard and the EU.
Article
Biology
Assemgul Sarsenova, Dudu Demir, Kardelen caglayan, Sardarbek Abiyev, Talshen Darbayeva, Cafer Eken
Summary: This study purified and characterized polyphenol oxidase (PPO) from dried Volvariella bombycina mushrooms for the first time, and investigated its enzymatic activity and kinetic parameters. The optimal pH and temperature for PPO in dried V. bombycina were found to be 6.5 and 15 degrees Celsius, respectively. This study has significant implications for further research.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Andrea Gottardini, Vincent Dugas, Claire Demesmay
Summary: Affinity chromatography is a powerful technique for identifying and quantifying weak ligand-protein interactions. A novel approach of protein immobilization based on streptavidin-biotin interaction was presented in this study to improve bulk density of active protein, expanding the affinity range of the technique to the millimolar range.
JOURNAL OF CHROMATOGRAPHY A
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Tomoto Ura, Tomoshi Kameda, Fina A. Laksmi, Matsujiro Ishibashi, Tsutomu Arakawa, Kentaro Shiraki, Atsushi Hirano
Summary: Immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography (IMAC) is a useful method for purifying histidine-tagged or histidine-rich proteins and peptides. However, phenolic compounds interfere with IMAC purification of proteins from plant-based host systems. This study investigated the affinity of phenolic compounds for transition metal ions and found that the more hydroxyl groups a compound has, the higher its affinity for transition metal ions. Importantly, phenolic compounds showed no obvious affinity for the Ni(II)-IMAC column, while imidazole and histidine-tagged proteins demonstrated binding to the Ni(II)-IMAC column.
JOURNAL OF CHROMATOGRAPHY A
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Ivan Romero-sanchez, Lorena Ramirez-Garcia, Emma Gracia-Lor, Yolanda Madrid-Albarran
Summary: This study evaluated different methods for the extraction and clean-up of aflatoxins from rice, and successfully applied the method to analyze rice samples from Spanish supermarkets. The results showed that the method of methanol-water extraction combined with immunoaffinity column clean-up had favorable performance, with high recoveries and low detection and quantification limits.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Martha Maggira, Ioannis Sakaridis, Maria Ioannidou, Georgios Samouris
Summary: This study compared three available ELISA kits for the detection of aflatoxins in feed samples. All three kits showed good performance and were validated. Furthermore, the results of both ELISA and HPLC tests confirmed their suitability for mycotoxin analysis.
VETERINARY SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Ana Isabel Galvan, Maria de Guia Cordoba, Alicia Rodriguez, Alberto Martin, Margarita Lopez-Corrales, Santiago Ruiz-Moyano, Manuel Joaquin Serradilla
Summary: This study evaluated the environmental conditions and physicochemical parameters of dried figs at different processing stages, and their correlation with fungal counts and the presence of toxigenic molds and mycotoxins. The findings highlight the importance of longer drying times, temperature control, and humidity control to prevent mycotoxin contamination during the processing of dried figs.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Nina Mencin, Dona Stepec, Alja Margon, Jana Vidic, Darko Dolenc, Tina Simcic, Sara Rotar, Rok Sekirnik, Ales Strancar, Urh Cernigoj
Summary: This study reports the development of an OdT-functionalized chromatographic monolith for the purification of polyadenylated mRNA. A synthetic oligo-deoxyadenylic acid chain was used as a surrogate for polyadenylated mRNA to optimize the affinity column. The hybridization between OdA and OdT correlated with the amount of immobilized OdT, and the hybridization yield was influenced by the size of the target, temperature, and probe surface coverage.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Gerard Rozing
Summary: HPLC has evolved rapidly with the introduction of UHPLC, but doubts remain about whether its performance has reached the theoretical limit. Open-tubular liquid chromatography theoretically offers higher separation efficiency but is challenging to use and not widely available commercially.
MICROCHEMICAL JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Andrea Reboucas Rocha, Mariana Silva Cardoso, Jose Antonio Souza Junior, Erival Amorim Gomes Junior, Leonardo Fonseca Maciel, Jose Antonio Menezes-Filho
Summary: This study found the presence of aflatoxins in beer samples produced in Brazil, both with and without adjuncts, with AFB1 having the highest contamination level. Elevated consumption of beer may pose a carcinogenic risk due to exposure to aflatoxins, particularly in the case of pure malt beers.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Christopher Mair, Michael Norris, Carol Donnelly, Dave Leeman, Phyllis Brown, Elaine Marley, Claire Milligan, Naomi Mackay
Summary: This study developed and validated clean-up methods for spices and infant cereals, enabling reliable quantification of citrinin. Some products such as nutmeg and infant multigrain porridge showed higher levels of citrinin contamination than expected, suggesting potential public health concerns.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Omotola Olagunju, Oluwatosin Ijabadeniyi
Summary: This study found that different processing methods (milling, fermentation, roasting) and compositing with maize significantly influenced the growth of Aspergillus flavus and aflatoxin production in Bambara groundnut flour and maize composite flour during storage.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)