This study investigated effects of dietary fumonisins (FBs) on gut and faecal microbiota of weaned pigs. In total, 18 7-week-old male pigs were fed either 0, 15 or 30 mg FBs (FB₁ + FB₂ + FB₃)/kg diet for 21 days. The microbiota was analysed with amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene V3-V4 regions (Illumina MiSeq). Results showed no treatment effect (p > 0.05) on growth performance, serum reduced glutathione, glutathione peroxidase and malondialdehyde. FBs increased serum aspartate transaminase, gamma glutamyl-transferase and alkaline phosphatase activities. A 30 mg/kg FBs treatment shifted microbial population in the duodenum and ileum to lower levels (compared to control (p < 0.05)) of the families Campylobacteraceae and Clostridiaceae, respectively, as well as the genera Alloprevotella, Campylobacter and Lachnospiraceae Incertae Sedis (duodenum), Turicibacter (jejunum), and Clostridium sensu stricto 1 (ileum). Faecal microbiota had higher levels of the Erysipelotrichaceae and Ruminococcaceae families and Solobacterium, Faecalibacterium, Anaerofilum, Ruminococcus, Subdoligranulum, Pseudobutyrivibrio, Coprococcus and Roseburia genera in the 30 mg/kg FBs compared to control and/or to the 15 mg/kg FBs diets. Lactobacillus was more abundant in the duodenum compared to faeces in all treatment groups (p < 0.01). Overall, the 30 mg/kg FBs diet altered the pig gut microbiota without suppressing animal growth performance.

Urinary biomarkers of mycotoxin exposure were evaluated in the case of healthy people (n = 41) and coeliac patients (n = 19) by using a multi-biomarker LC-MS/MS immunoaffinity based method capable to analyse biomarkers of nine mycotoxins, i.e., fumonisin B1 (FB1), fumonisin B2 (FB2), deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEN), ochratoxin A (OTA), Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin and Nivalenol (NIV). Urinary biomarker concentrations were used to calculate the probable daily intake (PDI) of fumonisin B1, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone and ochratoxin A and compared with their tolerable daily intake (TDI). The human urinary excretion rate values reported in the literature and the 24 h excretion rate measured in piglets were used to estimate and compare the PDI values of the four mycotoxins. The highest mean biomarker concentrations were found for DON (2.30 ng/mL for healthy people and 2.68 ng/mL for coeliac patients). Mean OTA concentration was significantly higher (p < 0.001) in healthy people compared to coeliac patients. PDI calculated with piglets excretion data exceeded the TDI values by a much smaller percentage than when they were calculated from human data, especially for FB₁. The uncertainties arising from the different calculations can be well perceived on the basis of these data.

In this study, we aimed to carry out the efficient fortification of vanilla milkshakes with micro-encapsulated microalgae oil (brand: S17-P100) without distorting the product’s odor. A 10-step oil-enrichment protocol was developed using an inclusion rate of 0.2 to 2 w/w%. Fatty acid (FA) profile analysis was performed using methyl esters with the GC-MS technique, and the recovery of docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6 n3, DHA) was robust (r = 0.97, p < 0.001). The enrichment process increased the DHA level to 412 mg/100 g. Based on this finding, a flash-GC-based electronic nose (e-nose) was used to describe the product’s odor. Applying principal component (PC) analysis to the acquired sensor data revealed that for the first four PCs, only PC3 (6.5%) showed a difference between the control and the supplemented products. However, no systematic pattern of odor profiles corresponding to the percentages of supplementation was observed within the PC planes. Similarly, when discriminant factor analysis (DFA) was applied, though a classification of the control and supplemented products, we obtained a validation score of 98%, and the classification pattern of the odor profiles did not follow a systematic format. Again, when a more targeted approach such as the partial least square regression (PLSR) was used on the most dominant sensors, a weak relationship (R² = 0.50) was observed, indicating that there was no linear combination of the qualitative sensors’ signals that could accurately describe the supplemented concentration variation. It can therefore be inferred that no detectable off-odor was present as a side effect of the increase in the oil concentration. Some volatile compounds of importance in regard to the odor, such as ethylacetate, ethyl-isobutarate, pentanal and pentyl butanoate, were found in the supplemented product. Although the presence of yeasts and molds was excluded from the product, ethanol was detected in all samples, but with an intensity that was insufficient to cause an off-odor.

The cellular toxicity of the Fusarium mycotoxin fumonisins (FUMs) has been widely accounted for. However, the ability of FUMs to destroy intestinal functions is an emergence of growing concern. Thus, this experiment ascertained whether dietary FUMs obstruct the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of crude protein (CP) and amino acids (AAs) in fattening pigs during either short (7 d)- or long (21 d)-term exposure. Ten Danbred fattening pigs (initial body weight (BW) of 67.5 ± 4.1) inserted with a post-valve T-cecum cannula in the terminal ileum were enrolled in the trial. The pigs were randomly divided into a control group fed a basal commercial diet and a group fed in vitro-produced FUMs to provide a 40 mg FUMs/kg-contaminated diet. Titanium dioxide was added at an inclusion rate of 0.5% as an indigestible marker to diets. During two separate periods, ileal digesta were collected for 3 consecutive days for the determination of the AID of CP and the various dispensable and indispensable AAs. Data were subjected to two-way ANOVA of SPSS version 20.0 software using FUMs dose (i = 2; 0 or 40 mg FUMs/ kg feed) and duration (j = 2; short- vs. long-term exposure) as fixed factors. According to our findings, a dietary intake of 40 mg/kg FUMs substantially interfered with the AID of arginine, histidine, and tyrosine (p = 0.003, 0.047, and 0.047, respectively) in terms of the dose and duration interaction effect. In addition, the main duration effect of the AID of histidine was significant (p < 0.001). It is, therefore, conceivable that a dietary dose of a 40 mg/kg FUMs-contaminated diet does not drastically affect CP and AAs digestibility in fattening pigs over a period of 7 or 21 days.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a silently escalating global crisis, presenting a specific challenge for the One Health approach. Landscapes can serve as reservoirs of AMR bacteria and genes, while synurban wildlife may act as vectors of bidirectional exchange. However, these species can also be utilised as sentinels of landscape AMR load. Herbivorous avian bioindicators, such as the Common Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus), continuously sample the landscape during foraging and drinking, providing a homogenous spatial overview on the state of AMR. This study aimed to investigate the potential of this species for assessing the impact of landscape diversity on bacterial communities and their AMR patterns. Toward this objective, two spatial units of 4 km in diameter located at an upstream and a downstream section of a river, relative to a provincial town, were compared using 16 cloacal samples per site. Heterotrophic plate count techniques resulted in 60 isolates, of which 48 were identified, and 35 were tested for AMR using the VITEK 2 Compact system. The association between bacteriological findings and landscape diversity was analysed using Rényi diversity profiles. The Gram-positive/Gram-negative ratio was the only parameter that proved to be significantly different between the two study sites. The investigation detected six MDR isolates, with two methicillin-resistant phenotypes (Staphylococcus gallinarum, Mammaliicoccus lentus) and two carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas fluorescens isolates. We established that the small sample size limits drawing definitive conclusions. However, exploring the link between landscape diversity and the cultivable faecal microbiota of herbivorous birds is a promising approach for more extensive research.

The exploration of natural redox-modulating agents to mitigate/reduce oxidative damage triggered by toxins is a major area of interest in nutritional and pharmacological fields. Aspalathus linearis (rooibos), traditionally consumed in South Africa for health benefits, was assessed for hepatoprotective effects against fumonisin B1 (FB1)-induced damage. This study involved 24 male rats (n = 6/group) that received FB1 (50 mg/kg diet equivalent, i.p. for 5 days) with or without oral exposure to unfermented (GR) or fermented (FR) rooibos extracts. Alongside somatic records, we assessed blood biochemicals, as well as liver histology, antioxidative stress markers (GSH, GPx, MDA, and carbonylation), regulatory proteins (Nrf2, Sirt3, PGC-α, TRX1, HSP70, and LONp1), inflammation (cytokines), and phospholipid fatty acid profile. Based on results, FB1 suppressed growth, compromised liver function, altered redox status, and elevated stress markers. Both rooibos extracts decreased oxidative damage (↓MDA, ↓carbonylation) and modulated stress regulators (↑Nrf2, ↓HSP70). FR uniquely increased GPx and TRX1 while decreasing IL-1β and PGC-α concentrations, whereas GR strongly increased Nrf2 and Sirt3, reflecting distinct bioactivities linked to their differing polyphenolic profiles. Neither extract compensated for FB1-induced alterations in the liver total phospholipid fatty acid profile or serum cholesterol. In conclusion, GR and FR improved redox potential and inflammatory/stress response; however, this effect was selective, as it did not translate into comprehensive hepatoprotection. These findings support the potential role of rooibos as a dietary modulator of endogenous antioxidant defenses, although clinical translational trials are needed.