Maria Helena Iha

Occurrence of aflatoxins M1 and M2 in milk commercialized in Ribeirão Preto-SP, Brazil

Aflatoxins are toxic metabolites found in foods and feeds. When ruminants eat foodstuffs containing aflatoxins B1 and B2, these toxins are metabolized and excreted as aflatoxin M1 and M2 in milk. The aim was to determine the incidence of these aflatoxins in commercial milk collected from supermarkets in Ribeirão Preto-SP, Brazil, and consisting of 60 ultrahigh temperature (UHT) milk samples and 79 pasteurized milk samples. The milk samples were analysed according to method 986.16 of AOAC International. None of the milk samples analysed were contaminated with aflatoxin M2, and aflatoxin M1 was detected in 29 (20.9%) of samples in the range 50–240 ng l−1. The results show that despite a high occurrence of aflatoxin M1 in commercial pasteurized and UHT milk sold in Ribeirão Preto in 1999 and 2000, the contamination level of these toxins could not be considered a serious public health problem according to MERCOSUR Technical Regulations. However, levels in 20.9% of the milk samples exceeded the concentration of 50 ng l−1 permitted by the European Union. Although it is not necessary to continue monitoring the incidence and levels of aflatoxins M1 and M2 in milk samples, surveillance could be appropriate.

Enantiomeric Resolution of Drugs and Metabolites in Polysaccharide- and Protein-Based Chiral Stationary Phases

Several chiral stationary phases based on polysaccharide derivatives and proteins were evaluated for the resolution of some chiral drugs and their metabolites. The polysaccharide-based stationary phases CHIRALCEL OD-H, CHIRALCEL OB-H, CHIRALCEL OJ, CHIRALPAK AD and CHIRALPAK AS were evaluated under normal phase conditions, using hexane:2-propanol or hexane:ethanol as mobile phase. Diethylamine and trifluoracetic acid were also added to improve peak shape. The CHIRALCEL OJ-R, CHIRALCEL OD-R and CHIRALCEL OD-H columns were evaluated under reversed-phase conditions, using acetonitrile:H2O or acetonitrile:NaClO4 solution. The protein- based stationary phases, CHIRAL AGP and ULTRON ES-OVM columns were used with mobile phases consisting of a buffer solution supplemented with an organic modifier. Among the polysaccharide-based stationary phases, CHIRALPAK AD provided better resolution for almost all drugs and metabolites studied. The ULTRON ES-OVM column was particularly suitable for the resolution of the four enantiomers of thioridazine-2-sulfoxide.

Enantioselective analysis of atenolol in biologic fluids: comparison of liquid–liquid and solid-phase extraction methods

In this study we evaluated a liquid-liquid extraction procedure and a solid-phase extraction procedure for sample preparation for the enantioselective analysis of atenolol in plasma and urine by high-performance liquid chromatography. A Chiralcel OD-H column was used for the resolution of atenolol enantiomers with hexane-ethanol (85:15, v/v) plus 0.1% diethylamine as the mobile phase. In the liquid-liquid extraction procedure, atenolol was extracted from alkalinized body fluids with 5 ml chloroform-2-propanol (4:1, v/v). In the solid-phase extraction procedure, atenolol was isolated from plasma using a C8 column and methanol. Both extraction procedures were efficient in recovering atenolol and removing endogenous interferents. The RSDs and deviation from nominal values were lower than 10% for both within-day and between-day assays. The results show that there were no statistically significant differences in between-day variation. The t-test showed that there were no significant differences between the real concentrations and the determined concentrations. The limit of quantitation was 10 ng/ml and the linear range was 10-5,000 ng/ml for both methods. These methods can be used in pharmacokinetic studies.

Aflatoxins and ochratoxin A in tea prepared from naturally contaminated powdered ginger

The migration of several major mycotoxins, aflatoxins B1 (AFB1), B2, G1, and G2 (AFT, total of the aflatoxins) and ochratoxin A (OTA), from naturally contaminated powdered ginger to surrounding liquid (tea) was investigated. The toxins are commonly found in cereal grains and are toxic, carcinogenic and thermostable. Ginger root is widely used for digestive problems. Powdered ginger (2 g) found to contain AFT and OTA was placed in an empty heat sealable tea bag. The tea bag was heat-sealed and used to prepare tea under different conditions: temperature (50 and 100°C), time (5 and 10 min) and volume (100 and 200 ml). The tea bag was placed in hot water and stirred every 1 min for 5 s during the first 5 min of steeping. After steeping, the tea bag was removed and the tea and ginger residue (in the tea bag) were analysed separately for AFT and OTA. After extraction and immunoaffinity column (IAC) clean-up, the isolated AFT and OTA were separated by reversed-phase liquid chromatography and quantified using a fluorescence detector. At 100°C, approximately 30–40% of AFB1 and AFT and 20–30% of OTA in the contaminated ginger were found in the ginger tea; the total amounts of AFT and OTA in tea varied less than 5% under the three conditions of preparation. At 50°C, about 10% of OTA and AFT were found in tea. This is the first study on the migration of AFT from botanicals to tea. It is also the first to study the distribution of AFT and OTA from powdered ginger to tea and ginger residue.

The use of regenerated immunoaffinity columns for aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 in peanut confection

The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using multitime-regenerated immunoaffinity column (IAC) for aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 in peanut confection. After each use, the IAC was washed immediately with phosphate-buffered saline and stored for >12h prior to reuse. The evaluation procedure consisted of using extracts of naturallycontaminated peanut confection (4 replicates), aflatoxin-free peanut confection (duplicates), and aflatoxin-free peanut confection sample spiked with the 4 aflatoxins (AFT) at 3 levels in 4 replicates. Each day, 18 test extracts were analyzed using 18 designated IACs. After each use, the IACs were regenerated and reused for corresponding test extracts on the following day. This procedure was repeated daily over the course of 9days. Analytical steps included passing the test extracts through the IACs, washing the columns with water, and eluting AFT with methanol. The eluates were diluted with water and were subjected to reversed phase LC separation, post-column photochemical derivatization and fluorescence detection. After eluting AFT, IACs were immediately regenerated by washing with phosphate buffer solution and storing overnight at 8°C for re-use the following day. Results were analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey tests. The numbers of reuse varied for each AF: For AFB1 AFB2, AFG1and AFG2 could be reused for 9, 6, 6 and 0 times, respectively. According to AOAC method performance criteria, recoveries ranging from 70% to 125% are considered acceptable at the spiking levels used in this study.

Effect of processing on ochratoxin A content in dried beans.

Dried pink beans naturally contaminated with ochratoxin A (OTA) and dried carioca beans artificially contaminated with OTA by inoculation with Aspergillus ochraceus (ATCC 22947) were tested for ochratoxin A levels as follows: dried beans were washed with water for 2, 60 or 120 min, soaked in water for 60, 120 min or 10 h, and cooked for 60 or 120 min. At each step, test water and beans were separated. Test water, raw beans and cooked beans were analyzed for OTA. The amount of OTA partitioned into water and in residual beans was determined by methanol–sodium bicarbonate extraction, buffer dilution, immunoaffinity column cleanup, liquid chromatographic separation and fluorescence detection. The results demonstrated that the distribution of OTA in processing water and beans depends on the method of preparation. All treatments (washing, soaking and cooking) when applied individually reduced the amounts of OTA retained in bean flour and whole beans. Higher amounts of OTA remained in whole beans than in bean flour after removing the processing water. The combination of the three treatments eliminated about 50% of the toxin from whole beans. This study provides evidence that discarding the washing, soaking and cooking water leads to a significant reduction in OTA contamination in dried beans.