title: Co-occurrence of aflatoxins, ochratoxin A and citrinin in "egusi" melon (Colocynthis citrullus L.) seeds consumed in Ireland and the United Kingdom.
abstract: The natural co-occurrence of aflatoxins (AFs), ochratoxin A (OTA) and citrinin (CIT) in melon seed samples obtained from retailers and households in Ireland and the United Kingdom (UK) was evaluated. AFs and OTA were determined by HPLC with fluorescence detection while CIT was analysed by HPLC-MS/MS. AFB1 was detected in all (100%) samples (mean = 9.7 μg kg(-1); range = 0.2-66.5 μg kg(-1)). Mean total AFs was 12.0 μg kg(-1) (range = 0.3-82 μg kg(-1)). Commercially retailed samples showed a significantly higher AFB1 contamination (p < 0.05) than the household samples. OTA occurred in 3 (13.6%) samples, while 4 (18.2%) were contaminated with CIT at very low levels. In this study, 68% of the melon seed samples were contaminated above the 2 μg kg(-1) EU limit for AFB1 in oilseeds. These results highlight the need for the development of strategies to reduce AF contamination in "egusi" for human consumption.
authors.affiliation: a Discipline of Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences , National University of Ireland , Galway , Ireland.
authors.forename: Yinka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Somorin
authors.affiliation: b Department of Agronomy , Osun State University , Ejigbo , Nigeria.|c School of Life Sciences , Keele University , Keele , UK.
authors.forename: Adeyemi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akinyemi
authors.affiliation: d Faculty of Agriculture UCSC , Feed & Food Science and Nutrition Institute , Piacenza , Italy.
authors.forename: Terenzio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bertuzzi
authors.affiliation: d Faculty of Agriculture UCSC , Feed & Food Science and Nutrition Institute , Piacenza , Italy.
authors.forename: Amedeo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pietri
mesh_terms: D000348:Aflatoxins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D002953:Citrinin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D065986:Citrullus colocynthis / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry*; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D005062:European Union; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control; D005511:Food Handling; D005513:Food Inspection; D018857:Food Packaging; D061353:Food Storage; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D007494:Ireland; D007881:Legislation, Food; D009793:Ochratoxins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D012639:Seeds / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry*; D062410:Snacks; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D000348:Aflatoxins; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D009793:Ochratoxins; C025589:ochratoxin A; D002953:Citrinin
keywords: Melon seed; aflatoxins; citrinin; co-occurrence; ochratoxin A; “egusi”