Natural Occurrence, Exposure Assessment & Risk Characterization of Alternaria Mycotoxins in Apple By-Products in Argentina

PAVICICH, MARÍA AGUSTINA; DE BOEVRE, MARTHE; VIDAL, ARNAU; MIKULA, HANNES; WARTH, BENEDIKT; MARKO, DORIS; DE SAEGER, SARAH; PATRIARCA, ANDREA

Exposure and Health

Springer

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2023

2451-9766

Data on the natural occurrence of Alternaria mycotoxins in appleby-products is lacking in Argentina and the risk of exposure to thesemycotoxins has not been characterized before. The levels of alternariol (AOH),alternariol monomethyl ether (AME), altenuene (ALT), tenuazonic acid (TeA),tentoxin (TEN), altertoxin-I (ATX-I), altertoxin-II (ATX-II), alternariol 3-sulfate(AOH-3-S), alternariol 3-glucoside (AOH-3-G), alternariol monomethyl ether3-sulfate (AME-3-S), and alternariol monomethyl ether 3-glucoside (AME-3-G)were determined in clarified and cloudy apple juices, marmalades, and apple-basedinfant food from the Argentinean market, and the risk of exposure wascharacterized. Detectable levels of AME, TEN, TeA, AME-3-S and AOH-3-G werefound in clarified juices, while the same mycotoxins plus AOH were found incloudy apple juices in higher concentrations. AME, TEN, TeA and AOH-3G weredetected in marmalades, and AOH, AME, TEN and TeA in apple infant food.Probabilistic exposure assessment and risk characterization were carried outfor children between 6 months and 5 years old in Argentina. The highest risk ofexposure affected children between 6 and 23 months from the consumption ofapple infant food and mainly associated with the alternariols. Better controlstrategies to prevent the incorporation of Alternariamouldy core into the process line and theestablishment of legislation for Alternaria mycotoxins are needed in Argentina.