Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether chewing gum affects mask contamination. Methodology and results: Two groups of participants were requested to wear a mask for 15 min with (experimental group) or without (control group) chewing gum. Then, masks were collected and CFU calculation and 16S rDNA sequencing was performed. We found that temperature, humidity and bacterial CFU inside of the mask significantly increased when wearing a mask while chewing gum. Staphylococcus epidermidis was found in both groups. Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Streptococcus oralis, Streptococcus parasanguinis and Bacillus wiedmannii were found in only the experimental group. Conclusion, significance and impact of study Chewing gum significantly increased the temperature, humidity and bacterial CFU inside the mask. Staphylococcus epidermidis, S. aureus, S. haemolyticus, S. oralis, S. parasanguinis and B. wiedmannii were detected inside the mask after chewing gum.
Chewing Gum ; Food Contamination

By investigating the contamination status and predicting the exposure risk of mycotoxin in Coicis Semen, we aim to provide guidance for the safety supervision of Chinese medicinal materials and the formulation(revision) of mycotoxin limit standards. The content of 14 mycotoxins in the 100 Coicis Semen samples collected from five major markets of Chinese medicinal materials in China was determined by UPLC-MS/MS. The probability evaluation model based on Monte Carlo simulation method was established after Chi-square test and One-way ANOVA of the sample contamination data. Health risk assessment was performed on the basis of margin of exposure(MOE) and margin of safety(MOS). The results showed that zearalenone(ZEN), aflatoxin B_1(AFB_1), deoxynivalenol(DON), sterigmatocystin(ST), and aflatoxin B_2(AFB_2) in the Coicis Semen samples had the detection rates of 84%, 75%, 36%, 19%, and 18%, and the mean contamination levels of 117.42, 4.78, 61.16, 6.61, and 2.13 μg·kg~(-1), respectively. According to the limit standards in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia(2020 edition), AFB_1, AFs and ZEN exceeded the standards to certain extents, with the over-standard rates of 12.0%, 9.0%, and 6.0%, respectively. The exposure risks of Coicis Semen to AFB_1, AFB2, ST, DON, and ZEN were low, while 86% of the samples were contaminated with two or more toxins, which needs more attention. It is suggested that the research on the combined toxicity of different mycotoxins should be strengthened to accelerate the cumulative exposure assessment of mixed contaminations and the formulation(revision) of toxin limit standards.
Humans ; Mycotoxins/analysis* ; Coix ; Aflatoxin B1/analysis* ; Chromatography, Liquid/methods* ; Food Contamination/analysis* ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry/methods*

This study aimed to establish a method for synchronous detection of 14 mycotoxins in Pseudostellariae Radix and investigate its contamination with mycotoxins, so as to provide technical guidance for monitoring the quality of Chinese medicinal materials and medication safety. The sample was extracted with 80% acetonitrile in an oscillator for 1 h, purified using the modified QuEChERS purifying agent(0.1 g PSA + 0.3 g C_(18) + 0.3 g MgSO_4), and separated on a Waters HSS T3 chromatographic column(2.1 mm×100 mm, 1.8 μm). The gradient elution was carried out with 0.1% formic acid in water and acetonitrile, followed by the scanning in the multi-reaction monitoring(MRM) mode and the analysis of mycotoxin contamination in 26 Pseudostellariae Radix samples. The recovery rates of the established method were within the range of 82.17%-113.6%, with the RSD values less than 7% and the limits of quantification(LOQ) being 0.019-0.976 μg·kg~(-1). The detection rate of 14 mycotoxins in 26 batches of medicinal materials was 53.85%. The detection rate of sterigmatocystin(ST) was the highest, followed by those of zearalenone(ZEN), aflatoxin G_2(AFG_2), fumonisin B_1(FB_1), HT-2 toxin, and nivalenol(NIV). Their respective detection rates were 38.46%, 26.92%, 23.08%, 11.54%, 11.54%, and 7.69%, with the pollution ranges being 1.48-69.65, 0.11-31.05, 0.11-0.66, 0.28-0.83, 20.86-42.56, and 0.46-1.84 μg·kg~(-1), respectively. The established method for the detection of 14 mycotoxins is accurate, fast and reliable. The research results have very important practical significance for guiding the monitoring and prevention and control of exogenous fungal contamination of Chinese medicinal materials.
Aflatoxins/analysis* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Drug Contamination ; Food Contamination/analysis* ; Mycotoxins/analysis* ; Plant Roots/chemistry* ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry/methods*

This study aimed to analyze aflatoxins content and fungal community distribution in the harvesting and processing of Platycladi Semen, and explore the key link that affects aflatoxins contamination. The related Platycladi Semen samples of different maturity periods(cone non-rupture period, early rupture, and complete rupture period) and different processing periods(before drying, during 2-d drying, during 7-d drying, before and after seed scale removal, before and after peeling, 1 d after color sorting, and 7 d after color sorting) were collected for identifying the fungal community composition on sample surface by ITS amplicon sequencing. Then the content of aflatoxins B_1, B_2, G_1 and G_2 was determined by HPLC-MS/MS. The results showed that during the harvesting of Platycladi Semen from cone non-rupture to complete rupture, aflatoxins were only detected in the seed scale and seed coat, with aflatoxin G_2 in the seed scale and aflatoxin B_1 in the seed coat. During the drying, with the prolongation of drying time, aflatoxins B_1 and G_2 were detected simultaneously in the seed scale, aflatoxin B_1 in the seed coat, and low-content aflatoxin B_1 in the seed kernel. During subsequent processing, the aflatoxin content in seed kernel during subsequent processing was slighted increased. As demonstrated by fungal detection, Aspergillus flavus was not present during the harvesting of Platycladi Semen, but present during the drying and processing. Its content in the seed coat during the drying process was relatively higher. In short, Platycladi Semen should be harvested as soon as possible after it becomes fully mature. Drying process is the key link of preventing aflatoxin contamination. It is advised to build a sunlight room or adopt similar settings, standardize the operations in other processes, and keep the surrounding environment clean to minimize aflatoxin contamination.
Aflatoxins/analysis* ; Aspergillus flavus ; Food Contamination/prevention & control* ; Mycobiome ; Semen/chemistry* ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Adulteration in meat products is a widespread issue that could lead to serious threats to public health and religious violations. Technology that offers rapid, sensitive, accurate and reliable detection of meat species is the key to an effectual monitoring and control against meat adulteration. In recent years, high-throughput sequencing-based DNA metabarcoding technology has developed rapidly. With the characteristics of being high-throughput, highly precise and high-speed, this technology can simultaneously identify multiple species in complex samples, thus offering pronounced advantages in the surveillance of adulteration in meat and meat products. Starting with an introduction of the major developments in the high-throughput sequencing technology in the past two decades, this review provides an overview of the technical characteristics and research methods of DNA metabarcoding, summarizes the application of DNA metabarcoding technology in meat adulteration detection over the last few years, discusses the challenges of using DNA metabarcoding technology in the detection of meat adulteration, and provides future prospects on the development of this technology.
DNA ; Food Contamination/analysis* ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing/methods* ; Meat/analysis* ; Meat Products ; Technology

Objective: This study aimed to assess the risk of cumulative exposure to Pb, Cd, Hg, and iAs through aquatic products consumed by Chinese people. Methods: Heavy metal concentration data were obtained from the national food contamination monitoring program during 2013-2017. Consumption data were derived from the China National Food Consumption Survey in 2014 and the relative potency factor (RPF) method was used to estimate cumulative exposure for neurotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. Results: The results demonstrated that the cumulative exposure based on neurotoxicity was below the lower confidence limit on benchmark doses of lead (BMDL Conclusion The cumulative exposures of the 2-6 year-old group to the four heavy metals did not reach (but came close to) the corresponding safety threshold for both neurotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. Given that there are still other food sources of these four heavy metals, it is necessary to more closely study their cumulative health effects.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Animals ; Arsenic/analysis* ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Dietary Exposure/analysis* ; Environmental Monitoring ; Food Contamination/analysis* ; Humans ; Metals, Heavy/analysis* ; Middle Aged ; Risk Assessment ; Seafood/analysis* ; Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis* ; Young Adult

Listeria monocytogenes is an important food-borne pathogen. The distribution and survival of L. monocytogenes are related to its ability to form biofilms. Biofilms are resistant to adverse environments, and bacteria separated from the biofilms may lead to persistent food contaminations. The formation, maturation and structure of biofilms depend on a variety of external and internal factors, among which a variety of regulatory mechanisms play important roles. This review summarizes the regulatory mechanisms (including intracellular, intercellular and interspecific interactions) involved in the biofilm formation of L. monocytogenes in order to control the biofilm formation in food processing environments, thus providing new intervention strategy for food safety.
Biofilms ; Food Contamination ; Food Safety ; Listeria monocytogenes

Bread ; analysis ; Child, Preschool ; Dietary Exposure ; analysis ; Flour ; analysis ; Food Additives ; analysis ; Food Contamination ; analysis ; Food, Preserved ; analysis ; Humans ; Hydrocarbons ; analysis ; Infant ; Infant Formula ; analysis ; Infant, Newborn ; Risk Assessment

BACKGROUND: Over the past few decades, the Japanese Ministry of the Environment has been biomonitoring dioxins in the general Japanese population and, in response to public concerns, has taken measures to reduce dioxin exposure. The objectives of this study were to assess the current dioxin dietary intake and corresponding body burden in the Japanese and compare Japanese dioxin data from 2011 to 2016 and 2002-2010 surveys. We also examined the relationship between blood dioxins and health parameters/clinical biomarkers. METHODS: From 2011 to 2016, cross-sectional dioxin surveys were conducted on 490 Japanese (242 males and 248 females, aged 49.9 ± 7.6 years) from 15 Japanese prefectures. Blood (n = 490) and food samples (n = 90) were measured for 29 dioxin congeners including polychlorinated dibenzo-para-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (Co-PCBs) using gas chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry. Using the 2006 World Health Organization toxic equivalence factors, the toxic equivalents (TEQs) were calculated. Clinical biomarkers and anthropometric parameters were also measured and information on lifestyle behaviours collected. Data imputations were applied to account for blood dioxins below the detection limit. RESULTS: The median (95% confidence interval or CI) blood levels and dioxin dietary intake was respectively 9.4 (8.8-9.9) pg TEQ/g lipid and 0.3 (0.2-0.4) pg TEQ/kg body weight/day. The median blood dioxin level in the 2011-2016 survey was found to have decreased by 41.3% compared to the 2002-2010 surveys. Participants who were older were found to be more likely to have higher dioxin levels. Blood dioxins were also significantly associated with body mass index, triglycerides, docosahexaenoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and dihomo-gamma-linoleic acid levels in blood. Furthermore, associations between blood dioxin and dietary dioxin intake were evident in the unadjusted models. However, after adjusting for confounders, blood dioxins were not found to be associated with dietary dioxin intake. CONCLUSIONS Blood dioxin levels declined over the past decade. This study showed that the measures and actions undertaken in Japan have possibly contributed to these reductions in the body burden of dioxins in the Japanese population.
Adult ; Aged ; Analysis of Variance ; Biomarkers ; blood ; Body Mass Index ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diet ; Dioxins ; analysis ; Environmental Exposure ; analysis ; Environmental Monitoring ; methods ; Female ; Food ; Food Analysis ; Food Contamination ; analysis ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; Humans ; Japan ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

Objective: Based on data related to arsenic contents in paddy rice, as part of the food safety monitoring programs in 2017, to discuss and explore the application of spatial analysis used for food safety risk assessment. Methods: One province was chosen to study the spatial visualization, spatial point model estimation, and kernel density estimation. Moran's I statistic of spatial autocorrelation methods was used to analyze the spatial distribution at the county level. Results: Data concerning the spatial point model estimation showed that the spatial distribution of pollution appeared relatively dispersive. From the kernel density estimation, we found that the hot spots of pollution were mainly located in the central and eastern regions. The global Moran's I values appeared as 0.11 which presented low spatial aggregation to the rice arsenic contamination and with statistically significant differences. One "high-high" and two typical "low-low" clustering were seen in this study. Conclusion: Results from our study provided good visual demonstration, identification of pollution distribution rules, hot spots and aggregation areas for research on the distribution of food pollutants. Spatial statistics can provide technical support for the implementation of issue-based monitoring programs.
Arsenic/adverse effects* ; China ; Cluster Analysis ; Food Contamination ; Food Supply ; Humans ; Spatial Analysis