Occurrence of mycotoxins in staple foods is a major threat to attaining food safety in developing countries. The study investigated multi-mycotoxin contamination for the first time in Nepalese maize along with the incidence of molds in 45 samples of maize used as human food from 45 districts of Nepal. The samples were analyzed quantitatively for the presence of five different mycotoxins (total aflatoxins (AF), total fumonisins (FUM), ochratoxin (OT), zearalenone (ZEA) and (DON) deoxynivalenol) using the competitive direct ELISA technique. The most frequent occurrences were for DON (100%) and AF (78%) followed by FUM and ZEA (both 76%) and OT (62%). Interestingly, all the samples contained at least two mycotoxins while at least three or more mycotoxins were found in 87% of the samples. The most commonly reported binary, ternary and quaternary combinations were DON+AF, AF+FUM+DON and AF+FUM+ZEA+DON, respectively. The mean percentage kernel mold infection was 35.33% with Fusarium, Aspergillus, Rhizopus and Penicillium genera being the predominant molds. Six different species of Aspergillus and a single species of Fusarium were identified. The estimated daily intake, margin of exposure and risk of liver cancer from consuming maize were 30.46 ng/kg bw/day and 5.58 and 0.38 cancer cases/year/100,000 population, respectively. Since maize is the second-most consumed cereal in Nepal, the contamination levels of various mycotoxins and the incidence of molds identified in the study suggests that stricter control is needed to safeguard the health of the substantial population consuming maize as a staple diet.

Dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME) was optimized for the simultaneous extraction of aflatoxins (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, and AFG2) from powdered senna leaves and pods. Detection was performed using high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD) and pre-column derivatization. The parameters affecting the DLLME extraction efficiency were evaluated. Chloroform (200 µL) was used as an extraction solvent, 500 µL of distilled water was used as a dispersive solvent, and the extraction was performed at pH 5.6 with no salt added. The optimized method was validated using leaves and pods according to the European Commission guidelines. The linear range for all aflatoxins was 2–50 µg/kg, with values for regression coefficients of determination exceeding 0.995. The recoveries of spiked senna leaves and pods were in the ranges of 91.77–108.71% and 83.50–102.73%, respectively. The RSD values for intra-day and inter-day precisions were in the ranges of 2.30–7.93% and 3.13–10.59%, respectively. The limits of detection and quantification varied in the ranges of 0.70–1.27 µg/kg and 2.13–3.84 µg/kg, respectively. The validated method was successfully applied for the quantification of aflatoxins in 60 real samples of dried senna leaves and pods.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of A. oryzae in inhibiting aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) and ochratoxin A (OTA) production by A. flavus and A. carbonarius, respectively, under shifting temperatures. A. oryzae was tested on different agar, namely coconut cream agar (CCA) and chili-based agar to figure out the variation in the effectiveness of A. oryzae on the most appropriate medium for A. flavus and A. carbonarius to produce mycotoxin and under natural condition where they are predominantly found. On CCA, the temperatures applied were 20, 30, 35, 40, 20/30, 20/35, and 20/40 °C, while on chili-based agar, the temperatures imposed were 20, 40, and 20/40 °C, at varied water activity of 0.92 and 0.97a_w. The findings indicated that A. oryzae was much more effective in inhibiting the growth of A. flavus rather than A. carbonarius, yet it was able to inhibit higher OTA concentration than AFB₁ at fluctuating temperatures on CCA as the most appropriate medium for A. flavus and A. carbonarius. A. oryzae effectively inhibited AFB₁ and OTA at static temperature of 20 °C and water activity of 0.97a_w on chili-based agar. Under fluctuating temperatures (20/40 °C), A. oryzae was also able to control mycotoxin, particularly OTA at high water activity (0.97a_w).

This study was aimed at determining the effect of temperature and water activity (a_w) on the radial growth of Aspergillus flavus and A. carbonarius isolated from dried chili and their production of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and ochratoxin A (OTA), respectively. The isolates were grown on a synthetic chili-based medium, and growth and mycotoxin production were studied following a central composite design. The diameter of each colony was measured, and mycotoxins were extracted from the medium after 7 days of incubation at each different combination of temperature and a_w. The analysis of variance results showed that temperature, a_w, and their interaction had significant effects on growth and mycotoxin production. Response surface analysis showed that both strains were able to grow within a wide range of temperatures (22.93–37.07°C) and a_w values (0.885–0.984), but production of AFB1 and OTA was not detected at 37.07°C or at a_w below 0.900. The most favorable growth conditions for A. flavus were within a temperature range of 25–30°C and a_w higher than 0.970, and maximum AFB1 production occurred at 22.93°C and a_w of 0.984. For A. carbonarius, optimum growth and OTA production were observed at 22.93°C and a_w of 0.970–0.984. Our results may be useful for controlling the growth of post-harvest mold in chili and preventing mycotoxin contamination of dried chili.

This research investigates the efficacy of Spirogyra sp. biomass as an effective adsorbent for the removal of AFB₁ and OTA from aqueous solutions. Several factors, including contact time, adsorbent dosage, pH level, and initial mycotoxin concentration, were analyzed to evaluate their impact on adsorption efficacy. The optimal contact time for equilibrium was determined at 60 min, during which the TPA obtained a 91% reduction in AFB₁ and 68% removal of OTA. Although increasing the adsorbent dosage improved effectiveness, excessive quantities led to particle aggregation, hence diminishing adsorption performance. The optimal dosage of 5.0 mg/mL optimized the efficacy and use of resources. Adsorption was more efficacious at acidic to neutral pH levels (5–6), enhancing the accessibility of functional groups on the biomass. Kinetic analysis indicated that adsorption process followed a pseudo second-order model, whereas isotherm studies demonstrated a heterogeneous adsorption mechanism, with the Freundlich model providing the optimal fit. The TPB exhibited enhanced adsorption capacities for both mycotoxins, offering a viable solution for mitigating mycotoxin contamination in food and feed. These findings illustrate the significance of biomass treatment techniques in improving mycotoxin removal efficacy and suggest the potential of algal biomass in food safety applications.