Sixty samples of cereals (20 of corn, 20 of barley, and 20 of wheat) and 55 samples of spices (14 of paprika, 12 of ginger, 14 of cumin, and 15 of pepper) purchased from popular markets of Rabat and ...Salé in Morocco were analyzed for mycotoxins.
Cereals samples were all analyzed for ochratoxin A (OTA). The average levels of contamination were 1.08, 0.42, and 0.17
μg/kg for corn, wheat, and barley, respectively. Samples of corn were also analyzed for zearalenone (ZEA) and fumonisin B
1 (FB
1) the average contaminations were 14 and 1930
μg/kg, respectively. Co-occurrence of OTA, FB
1, and ZEA was also checked. Spices samples were analyzed only for aflatoxins (AFs) and the average contaminations found for aflatoxin B
1 (AFB
1) were 0.09, 0.63, 2.88 and 0.03
μg/kg for black pepper, ginger, red paprika and cumin, respectively. The higher level of contamination was found in red paprika (9.68
μg/kg).
The present report is the first one ever drafted on the natural co-occurrence of OTA, FB
1 and ZEA in cereals and on the occurrence of AFs in spices from Morocco.
One hundred and twenty (120) strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were enumerated and isolated from raw dromedary milk in Morocco using various cultured media. Strains isolated were characterized by ...phenotypic, physiological and biochemical properties. Results showed that high counts of LAB were found. Presumptive lactobacilli counts ranged from 2.5×10
2 to 6×10
7
cfu/ml, presumptive lactococci levels varied from 5×10
2 to 6×10
7
cfu/ml, presumptive streptococci counts varied from 4.2×10
2 to 8×10
7
cfu/ml, presumptive leuconostoc levels ranged from 5.4×10
2 to 5.4×10
7
cfu/ml. Results showed also that
Lactobacillus and
Lactococcus were the predominant genera with 37.5% and 25.8%, respectively. The dominated species found were
Lactococcus lactis subsp.
lactis (17.5%),
Lactobacillus helveticus (10%),
Streptococcus salivarius subsp.
thermophilus (9.20%),
Lactobacillus casei subsp.
casei (5.80%) and
Lactobacillus plantarum (5%). This is the first report on the characterization of LAB strains isolated from the one humped camel milk produced in Morocco.
Sixty-eight samples of cereals products, including breakfast cereals (
n
=
48) and infant cereals (
n
=
20), purchased from supermarkets and pharmacies in Rabat-Salé area from Morocco were analysed ...for the determination of six emerging mycotoxins: four enniatins ENs (ENA, ENA1, ENB and ENB1), beauvericin (BEA) and fusaproliferin (FUS). Samples were extracted with a mixture of acetonitrile:water (85:15, v/v), using an Ultra-Turrax® homogeniser. Mycotoxins were then identified and quantified by liquid chromatography (LC) with diode array detection (DAD). Positive samples were confirmed by LC–MS/MS.
Analytical results showed that the percentages of analysed samples contaminated with total ENs, FUS and BEA were 30.8%, 10.3% and 5.8%, respectively. ENA1 was the mycotoxin most often found: ENA1 levels ranged between 37.5 and 688
mg/kg. FUS and BEA were present in levels lower than 7.4 and 10.6
mg/kg, respectively. This is the first international report on the presence of emerging
Fusarium mycotoxins in breakfast cereals and infant cereals.
The occurrence of aflatoxins (AFs) in dried fruits and nuts available in Rabat-Salé area (Morocco) was surveyed in this study. One hundred samples of dried fruits and nuts, purchased from retail ...shops and local markets from January to October 2006, were analyzed for AFs content by immunoaffinity (IAC) clean-up with liquid chromatography and fluorescence detection. Results showed that the incidences of total aflatoxins (AFT) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in peanut, dried raisins, dried figs, walnut, and pistachio were 5%, 20%, 30%, 30% and 45% and 5%, 20%, 5%, 30% and 45%, respectively. The highest contamination levels of AFB1 were found in one walnut sample (2500
μg/kg) and one pistachio sample (1430
μg/kg). 5%, 20% and 20% of samples of pistachio, walnut and dried raisins exceeded the maximum tolerable limit (2
μg/kg) set for AFB1 by EU regulations. While 15% of dried figs samples were above the maximum limit (4
μg/kg) set by EU regulations for AFT. The present paper is the first report on the natural occurrence of AFs in dried fruits and nuts available in Rabat-Salé area in Morocco.
Eighty one (81) samples of durum wheat collected from seven areas from Morocco (Khmiset, Beni Mellal, Settat, Fès–Meknès, Skhirat–Témara, Tansift-El Haouz and Rabat–Salé) were surveyed for the ...presence of the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON). Samples were extracted with water, the extracts were purified by immunoaffinity chromatography (IAC) columns and DON was then identified and quantified with liquid chromatography (LC) coupled to diode array detection (DAD). Analytical results showed that 9 out of 81 total samples (11.1%) were contaminated with DON. DON levels in positive samples ranged between 65 and 1310 μg/kg. The maximum contamination level of DON (1310 μg/kg) was found in a durum wheat sample from Rabat–Salé area, while the minimum value (65 μg/kg) was registered in a sample from Beni Mellal area. The mean DON level in positive samples was 502.1 ± 40.4 μg/kg. Only one previous work exists on DON contamination in Moroccan wheat samples.
► We investigate the presence of deoxynivalenol (DON) in durum wheat from Morocco. ► We find that 11.1% of total samples were contaminated with DON. ► We find more contamination in samples from Rabat–Salé area than other areas. ► We conclude that meteorological conditions in Morocco could be suitable for DON production in cereals.
A sensitive and reliable method using pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) and liquid chromatography (LC) has been developed for the analysis of ochratoxin A (OTA) in breakfast and infants cereals. ...Influence of several extraction solvents that affect PLE efficiency was studied. The selected PLE operating method was: 10
g of sample was packed into 22
ml stainless-steel cell and OTA was extracted with acetonitrile/water (80:20) at 40
°C, 34
atm in one cycle of 5
min at 60% flush. The mean recovery of OTA was 82
±
4 at fortification level of 3
ng/g OTA. The limit of quantification (LOQ) of OTA was 0.25
ng/g. The proposed method was successfully applied to the analysis of 68 samples of breakfast and infants cereals products collected from different supermarkets and pharmacies in Rabat. Results showed that all analyzed infant cereals were free of OTA contamination. However, four samples of breakfast cereals were contaminated with OTA. Levels of OTA in positive samples ranged between 5.1 and 224.6
ng/g. All positive samples (5.8% of total samples) were above the maximum level set by EU regulations for OTA in cereal derivatives products.
One hundred (100) samples of rice purchased from retail markets in five different cities (Rabat, Témara, Salé, Casablanca and Méknès) in Morocco from January to October 2006 were surveyed for the ...presence of ochratoxin A (OTA) using Accelerated Solvent Extraction (ASE) coupled to liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. The identification of OTA in positive rice samples was confirmed by methyl ester derivatization. Analytical results showed a frequency of contamination of 26% of total analyzed rice samples. The percentage of contamination of samples was 24, 26.6, 16.6, 27.7 and 30% in Rabat, Témara, Méknès, Salé and Casablanca respectively. Levels of OTA in positive samples ranged between 0.08 and 47 ng/g. The average contamination of all analyzed samples was 3.5 ng/g. The highest frequency of positive samples (30%) and the most contaminated sample (47 ng/g) was found in a sample from Casablanca city. 14 out of 100 total samples exceeded the maximum level of 5 ng/g set by European regulations for OTA in cereals. Based in the results presented in this study, the estimated daily intake of OTA in rice was 0.32 ng/kg bw/day for Moroccan consumers.
Fifty four samples of pasteurized milk produced by five different dairies from Morocco were surveyed for the presence of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) using immunoaffinity columns and liquid chromatography ...coupled to fluorescence detection. Confirmation of AFM1 identity in positive samples was based on the formation of AFM1 hemi-acetal derivative (AFM
2a) after derivatization with trifluoracetic acid. Analytical results showed that 88.8% of the samples were contaminated with AFM1; 7.4% being above the maximum level of 0.05 μg/L set by the Moroccan and European regulations for AFM1 in liquid milk. The incidence of AFM1 in milk from these dairies was 100, 92.3, 90, 83.3 and 77.7% respectively, with AFM1 levels ranging from 0.001 to 0.117 μg/L and a mean value of 0.0186 μg/L. Based on the results presented in this study, the estimated daily intake of AFM1 was 3.26 ng/person/day. In this work, data on the natural occurrence of AFM1 in pasteurized milk produced in Morocco is presented for the first time.
Eighty one (81) samples of cereals (rice, maize, sorghum, millet) and peanut purchased from six local markets of Niamey city (Republic of Niger) were analyzed for the presence of fungi and ochratoxin ...A (OTA). Samples were microbiologically analyzed for determination of fungi. For OTA analysis, samples were extracted with methanol with an Ultra-Turrax homogenizer. OTA was then identified and quantified by using liquid chromatography (LC) with fluorescence detection. The confirmation of OTA identity in positive samples was confirmed by methyl ester derivatization.
Analytical results showed that samples were contaminated with a large number of fungi, the most important genus are Aspergillus spp. (63%) followed by Fusarium spp. (9.7%) and Penicillium spp. (3.3%). Mycotoxin analysis showed that OTA was present in 85.7, 9 and 2.6% of peanut, rice and maize, respectively. The frequency of contamination of total analyzed samples was 9.8%. Levels of OTA in positive samples ranged between 0.1 and 4.9 ng/g. The average contamination of cereals samples with OTA was 3.7 ng/g. The high level value of OTA (4.9 ng/g) was found in a peanut sample commercialized in “Wadata market” of Niamey city. The present paper is the first ever drafted on the natural occurrence of OTA and fungi in cereals and peanut consumed in Republic of Niger.
► We investigate for the first time the presence of fungi and ochratoxin A in foods from the Republic of Niger. ► We find that samples were contaminated with a large number of fungi. ► We find that peanut was more contaminated by ochratoxin A than cereals. ► We conclude that fungi isolated could be a source of contamination of food commodities by mycotoxins.
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