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Ackee toxicity is associated with consumption of the fruit of the tree Blighia sapida. The problem is endemic in Jamaica, and a number of cases have been reported in the U.S. among Jamaican immigrants. Illness is associated with the method of preparation of the fruit and its ripeness. Malnourished individuals and children appear to be the most susceptible. Levels of the toxic compound, hypoglycin, which are found in the arils and seeds of the fruit, significantly decrease in the arils with ripeness (from 1000 ppm to

Blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides (L.) Michx., Berberidaceae) is a North American perennial herb which is found as an ingredient in dietary supplement products in the United States. The plant contains the alkaloids N-methylcytisine, baptifoline, anagyrine and magnoflorine. Some of the alkaloids, including the quinolizidine alkaloid anagyrine, are toxic to range animals and have been implicated as teratogens in higher animals. Since the traditional use of the herb involves administration to women of reproductive age to treat menstrual cramps, and to pregnant women in the last 3–4 weeks of pregnancy to ease parturition, therefore the safety of these products to the fetus is of concern. Three of these alkaloids have been determined in authentic blue cohosh and several dietary supplements. Levels found were: 5–850 ppm for N-methylcytisine, 2–390 ppm for anagyrine, and 9–900 ppm for baptifoline. The lower alkaloid concentrations were found in products containing liquid extracts. Alkaloid identities were confirmed by mass spectrometry. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Wheat and barley from the 1993 crop year were analyzed for deoxynivalenol (DON). A total of 630 samples were collected by the Federal Grain Inspection Service in 25 states and analyzed using a commercially available, direct competitive, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The limit of determination was about 0.5 μg/g. DON contamination in the 483 wheat samples averaged 2.0 μg/g and ranged from

Four types of L-tryptophan lots produced by genetically modified B. myloliquefaciens strains II-V, which consisted of case-associated (11) with manifestations of EMS, control (16), and other lots (11), were compared by multivariate computer recognition programs (chemometrics) including HCA, PCA, KNN and SIMCA, as well as PLS. In HCA data analysis lots from strains III and V formed discrete clusters, and in PCA and SIMCA, both lots formed separated groups. Lots from strains II and IV were included in a group of lots from strain III. This indicated strains II and IV too were closely related to strain III. When strain vs case-associated control or other lots were compared by four methods, SIMCA provided adequate strain separation and strains were well grouped in case-associated or control lots.

This paper demonstrates that pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) extracted from comfrey root grown in Washington State (USA) can be identified by gas chromatography/matrix isolation/Fourier transform infrared (GC/MI/FTIR) spectroscopy. Infrared spectral bands observed in the fingerprint region were unique even for closely related structures. The identities of the 4 major components, intermedine, lycopsamine, 7-acetylintermedine, and 7-acetylly-copsamine, were confirmed by comparison with standards. Confirmation was also obtained by using the established techniques of electron ionization and positive ion chemical ionization gas chro-matography/mass spectrometry. The infrared spectra observed for the components of the root extract were consistent with known structures of specific PAs. The identities of the minor components, sym-phytine and its isomers symlandine and/or sym-viridine, in the same extract were not confirmed.

Fumonisin B1 (FB1), a contaminant of corn, has been reported to be a hepatocarcinogen in rats. In an attempt to understand its mechanisms of action, a model system of isolated rat liver nuclei was used to determine what effects, if any, FB1 might have on nuclear membrane lipids and DNA. The data suggested that FB1 induced lipid peroxidation concurrently with DNA strand breaks in this in vitro system. Iron and copper had no statistically significant stimulatory effects on these reactions. In addition, the active oxygen scavengers catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), mannitol and sodium azide had no significant inhibitory effects on the FB1-induced DNA strand breaks. However, a small but significant reduction in lipid peroxidation by catalase and mannitol was observed. These results suggested that hydroxyl radicals may be the initiators of the nuclear membrane lipid peroxidation, which results in production of peroxyl radicals. In turn, the peroxyl radicals may be responsible for the DNA strand breaks. An alternative explanation is that the hydroxyl radicals, produced close to the DNA-bound metal ions, may induce direct site-specific strand breaks, which are insensitive to the scavengers of active oxygen.

Drought in 1988 caused a high incidence of aflatoxin contamination in corn samples in nine states including TX, OK, IA, IN, IL, SD, MD, WI and MN (Wall Street Journal, 1988a). In Illinois, 27% of 52 corn samples contained more than 20 ng aflatoxins/g (Wall Street Journal, 1988b). On October 4, 1988, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) established enforcement levels for aflatoxins in corn used in feed (Rothschild, 1988). The levels were 100, 200 and 300 ng/g depending on the animal consuming the feed containing the aflatoxin-contaminated corn. FDA enforcement action could also be supported when corn containing in excess of 20 ng total aflatoxins/g was destined for food used by humans, for feed used by immature animals and by dairy animals, or if its destination was not known.

The mold genus Alternaria is a widely distributed plant pathogen. Some of these species, e.g., A. alternata, are common decay organisms of fruits and vegetables. Two novel perylene oxide metabolites, altertoxins II and III, have been identified in extracts of A. alternata isolates that exhibit mutagenic responses in the Ames Salmonella typhimurium assay. These identifications were based on mass, optical rotational, and 1H- and 13C-nmr spectral studies. Previous reports of related perylene dione mycotoxins have been clarified.

Recherche de modifications de structure des facteurs responsables de l'activite anticancereuse presentee par les legumes de type chou, chou de Bruxelles, chou-navet et induites par les traitements technologiques

Shellfish contaminated with paralytic shellfish poisons (PSP) compromise human health. The threat of this contamination results in enormous economic losses in the recreational and commercial exploitation of shellfish resources in the affected areas. Most states deal with the PSP problem either by prohibiting the collection of shellfish during certain time periods or by instituting monitoring programs. The only recognized method of analysis for PSP that is currently and routinely used in monitoring programs is the time-of-death mouse bioassay. Several attempts to develop simple and highly specific biochemical assays for the detection and quantitation of the PSP toxins have been reported. More recently, much improved immunoassays have been developed. To evaluate the validity and usefulness of the immunoassay for the determination of PSP toxins, the authors have used extracts of shellfish gathered from Maine and Connecticut to compare the results of the mouse bioassay and HPLC methods with the radioimmunoassay developed previously.

There is much evidence to support the contention that ovulation which occurs in the rabbit following coitus or electrical stimulation of the brain or spinal cord is produced by a substance or substances liberated from the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland.1, 2, 3 This coitus-induced or stimulation-induced anterior lobe discharge appears to be mediated by nerves passing to the gland from the hypothalamus by way of the pituitary stalk.4, 5, 6 The cat, like the rabbit, normally ovulates only on coitus, and it has been assumed generally that a similar mechanism operates in the two species. Recently Friedgood7 has claimed that in the cat the adrenal glands are involved in the coitus-induced activation of the anterior lobe of the pituitary. The basis for this belief was his observation that removal of the adrenal glands from cats within 15 to 55 minutes after coitus prevented ovulation, but adrenal ablation 6 hours or more after the occurrence of coitus did not abolish the ovulatory response. He concluded th...