Patulin Toxin in Fruits and Its Impact on Your Diet: From Orchard to Table

Jim Crocker
23rd May, 2024

Patulin Toxin in Fruits and Its Impact on Your Diet: From Orchard to Table

Image Source: Natural Science News, 2024

Key Findings

  • The study by Government College University Faisalabad investigated patulin contamination in oranges, apples, apricots, lemons, and guava across different stages of the supply chain
  • Analysis of 442 fruit samples showed that 17% of farm samples, 23% of transportation samples, and 28% of market samples tested positive for patulin
  • Apples had the highest average dietary intake of patulin at 0.11 μg/kg body weight per day, with the maximum mean hazard quotient recorded at 0.28
The presence of patulin, a mycotoxin produced by certain molds, in fruits is a significant concern for food safety. Patulin contamination can occur at various stages of the food supply chain, potentially posing health risks to consumers. A recent study conducted by Government College University Faisalabad aimed to investigate the prevalence of patulin in selected fruits (oranges, apples, apricots, lemons, and guava) across different stages of the supply chain[1]. This study provides valuable insights into the levels of patulin contamination and highlights areas where intervention may be necessary to ensure food safety. The study involved a comprehensive analysis of 442 fruit samples collected from farms, during transportation, and from markets. High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) with a UV detector was used to determine the presence of patulin. The findings revealed that 17% of farm samples, 23% of transportation samples, and 28% of market samples tested positive for patulin. Notably, 56% of the fruits sampled during transportation had patulin levels exceeding 50 μg/kg, and 41% of market samples also surpassed this threshold. Interestingly, the one-way analysis of variance indicated no statistically significant variation in patulin levels across the different stages of the supply chain (p > 0.05). However, correlation studies using Kendall's tau_b and Spearman's rho showed a robust association between patulin levels and the supply chain stages. Among the fruits tested, apples exhibited the highest average dietary intake of patulin at 0.11 μg/kg body weight per day, with the maximum mean hazard quotient recorded at 0.28. The findings of this study align with previous research on mycotoxin contamination in food products. For instance, a study on the contamination of Semen Persicae with mycotoxins revealed significant levels of aflatoxins and other mycotoxins, highlighting the widespread issue of mycotoxin contamination in various food products[2]. Additionally, research on the effectiveness of traditional dehulling and fermentation methods in reducing mycotoxin levels in maize products demonstrated that certain food processing techniques could mitigate mycotoxin contamination[3]. The current study by Government College University Faisalabad expands on these findings by focusing on patulin contamination in fruits and examining the entire supply chain. The study underscores the importance of monitoring and controlling mycotoxin levels at all stages, from farm to market, to ensure food safety. While previous studies have shown the potential of various methods to reduce mycotoxin levels in other food products, this study highlights the need for similar interventions in the fruit supply chain. The use of HPLC with a UV detector in this study provided accurate and reliable measurements of patulin levels, demonstrating the effectiveness of advanced analytical techniques in mycotoxin detection. This aligns with another study that developed a novel solid-phase dispersive extractant combined with ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) for the high-throughput analysis of mycotoxins in traditional Chinese medicines[4]. Such advanced methods can significantly improve the sensitivity and accuracy of mycotoxin detection, which is crucial for ensuring food safety. In conclusion, the study conducted by Government College University Faisalabad offers critical insights into the prevalence of patulin contamination in fruits across the supply chain. The findings emphasize the need for continuous monitoring and implementation of effective control measures to reduce mycotoxin levels in fruits and other food products. This research, along with previous studies on mycotoxin contamination and mitigation, highlights the ongoing challenges and potential solutions in ensuring food safety in the global food supply chain.

FruitsHealthMycology

References

Main Study

1) Mycotoxin patulin contamination in various fruits and estimating its dietary impact on the consumers: From orchard to table.

Published 30th May, 2024 (future Journal edition)

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30252

Related Studies

2) Fungal microbiome related to mycotoxin contamination in medicinal and edible seed Semen Persicae.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19796

3) Influence of traditional dehulling on mycotoxin reduction and GC-HRTOF-MS metabolites profile of fermented maize products.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23025

4) Analysis of 16 mycotoxins in genuine traditional Chinese medicine for five medicinal parts: Classification of analytical method based on PANI@CS extraction-UPLC-MS/MS.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17027


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