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The demand for tree nuts has significantly grown in recent years as epidemiological studies and clinical intervention trials demonstrated an inverse relationship between tree nut consumption and chronic diseases. However, mycotoxins are one of the main hazards responsible for increased “Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed” (RASFF) notifications and border rejections on nuts and nut products exported to the E.U. countries in the past few years. Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites that present serious threats to human and animal health. The most prevalent, toxic, and carcinogenic mycotoxins observed in human food and animal feed are the aflatoxins (AFs). This work analyzed notifications from the RASFF on nuts and nut products contaminated with mycotoxins, for a 10-year period from 2011 to 2021. A total of 4752 mycotoxin notifications were published on RASFF for food products worldwide, 63% (n = 3000) were notified in “nuts, nut products and seeds”. It was observed that 95% (n = 2669) notifications were due to AFs. Over half of these notifications (52%, n = 1545) were reported for groundnuts, where 29% (n = 441) of the notifications were received for groundnuts from China alone. Border rejection was reported for 91% (n = 2560) of the nuts and nut products which received the notifications from the E.U. countries. This study proffers understanding into the major reasons for RASFF notifications on nuts and nut products exported to E.U. countries. Also, the implications of this issue with some recommendations that could reduce the incidents of notifications for tree nuts have been outlined.

High-resolution (HR) visual imaging and spectral imaging are common computer vision-based techniques used for food quality analysis and/or authentication based on the interaction of light and material surface and/or composition. The particle size of ground spices is an important morphological feature that affects the physico-chemical properties of food products containing such particles. This study aimed to interpret the impact of particle size of ground spice on its HR visual profile and spectral imaging profile using ginger powder as a representative spice powder model. The results revealed an increase in the light reflection with the decrease of particle size of ginger powder, which was manifested by the lighter colour (higher percentage of the colour code with lighter yellow colour) of the HR visual image and stronger reflection with spectral imaging. The study also revealed that, in spectral imaging, the influence of the particle size of ginger powder increased with rising wavelengths. Finally, the results indicated a relationship between spectral wavelengths, ginger particle size, and other natural variables of the products which might be generated from cultivation to processing. Ultimately, the impact of natural variables arising during the food production process on the physico-chemical properties of the product should be fully considered or even additionally evaluated prior to the application of specific food quality and/or authentication analytical techniques.

Globally, of all mycotoxins, aflatoxins present a significant threat to human and animal health and has resulted in the introduction of strict food regulatory limits to protect public health. A systematic review, was performed to elucidate the rationale applied in establishing aflatoxin standards and evaluate the economic impacts of these. The focus was peanuts, a principal trading commodity susceptible to aflatoxin contamination. Results revealed that although regulations are established in many countries, there is huge disparity in the maximum limits applied due to different methodologies used when considering exposure assessment. Moreover, in countries most affected by aflatoxin contamination in peanuts, few, if any standards exist. In the case of risk assessments, knowledge gaps identified include the impact of climate change on peanut aflatoxin contamination, the role of aflatoxins in child stunting, Kwashiorkor and immunomodulation and a lack of occurrence and exposure data in many developing countries from contaminated peanuts. Few quantitative studies evaluating the impact of aflatoxin regulations on trade exist and evidence is lacking in terms of what happens to exports that do not meet regulatory requirements. Evidence does suggest a lack of knowledge of the extent of the aflatoxin problem, associated health risks and mitigation strategies in developing countries. A hugely important factor that needs to be highlighted is that while there is a fundamental right for sufficient, safe, nutritious food, in many cases in low-income and lower middle-income countries there exists an incredibly difficult and complex trade-off between food security and food safety.

Fermentation is an ancient preservation process which has been widely used in many countries across the world, especially in Southeast Asia. Many types of traditional fermented food products that contain lactic acid bacteria (LAB) appear to contain an abundance of bacteriocin producers. Until now, thirteen types of traditional Thai fermented food are recognized as isolation sources of bacteriocinogenic LAB. Furthermore, twenty-four bacteriocins from Thai fermented food isolates have been identified and fully charactized. Additionally, six bacteriocinogenic LAB strains have been applied to food products, as starter cultures or bacteriocin preparations, in order to increase product quality and safety. However, research into this form of application of bacteriocins produced by Thai fermented food isolates in food products remains very limited. Hence, the aim of this article is to provide a comprehensive review on bacteriocin from Thai fermented food isolates (i.e., definition, types diversity, and various isolation sources of bacteriocinogenic LAB). Additionally, the potential application of bacteriocins as either starter cultures or preservatives has also been summarized.

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Germline mutations in BRCA1 predispose carriers to a high incidence of breast and ovarian cancers. BRCA1 functions to maintain genomic stability through critical roles in DNA repair, cell-cycle arrest, and transcriptional control. A major question has been why BRCA1 loss or mutation leads to tumors mainly in estrogen-regulated tissues, given that BRCA1 has essential functions in all cell types. Here, we report that estrogen and estrogen metabolites can cause DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) in estrogen receptor-α–negative breast cells and that BRCA1 is required to repair these DSBs to prevent metabolite-induced genomic instability. We found that BRCA1 also regulates estrogen metabolism and metabolite-mediated DNA damage by repressing the transcription of estrogen-metabolizing enzymes, such as CYP1A1, in breast cells. Finally, we used a knock-in human cell model with a heterozygous BRCA1 pathogenic mutation to show how BRCA1 haploinsufficiency affects these processes. Our findings provide pivotal new insights into why BRCA1 mutation drives the formation of tumors in estrogen-regulated tissues, despite the general role of BRCA1 in DNA repair in all cell types. Cancer Res; 74(10); 2773–84. ©2014 AACR.

PDF file - 2823K, Supplementary Figure 1. Estrogen metabolites cause DNA double strand breaks in S- phase cells. Supplementary Figure 2. BRCA1 supresses estrogen metabolite mediated DSBs and is required for their repair. Supplementary Figure 3. Estrogen and its metabolites induce DNA DSBs in a dose and time dependent manner. Supplementary Figure 4. BRCA1 suppresses estrogen metabolites induced DNA damage in BRCA1 mutant breast cancer cells. Supplementary Figure 5. BRCA1 and BRCA2 are required for repair of estrogen metabolite induced DSBs in MCF10A and MCF7 breast cells. Supplementary Figure 6. BRCA1, but not BRCA2, suppresses estrogen metabolite mediated DNA damage by repressing CYP1A1 expression in breast cells.

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Biopolymers based on polylactic acid (PLA) and starch have numerous advantages, such as coming from renewable sources or being compostable, though they can have deficiencies in mechanical properties, and for this reason, polyester resins are occasionally added to them in order to improve their properties. In this work, migration from a PLA sample and from another starch-based biopolymer to three different food simulants was studied. Attention was focused on the determination of oligomers. The analysis was first performed by ultraperformance liquid chromatography quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF–MS), which allowed the identification of the oligomers present in migration. Then, the samples were analyzed by two ambient desorption/ionization techniques directly coupled to mass spectrometry (ADI), direct analysis in real-time coupled to standardized voltage and pressure (DART-MS) and atmospheric pressure solids analysis probe (ASAP-MS). These methodologies were able to detect simultaneously the main oligomers migrants and their adducts in a very rapid and effective way. Nineteen different polyester oligomers, fourteen linear and five cyclic, composed of different combinations of adipic acid [AA], propylene glycol [PG], dipropylene glycol [DPG], 2,2-dibutyl-1,3-propanediol [DBPG], or isobutanol [i-BuOH] were detected in migration samples from PLA. In migration samples from starch-based biopolymer, fourteen oligomers from poly(butylene adipate co-terephthalate) polyester (PBAT) were identified, twelve cyclic and two linear. The results from ADI techniques showed that they are a very promising alternative tool to assess the safety and legal compliance of food packaging materials. Graphical abstract Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00216-021-03755-0.

Paramagnetic microspheres can be used in planar array fluorescence immunoassays for single or multiplex screening of food contaminants. However, no confirmation of the molecular identity is obtained. Coated blade spray (CBS) is a direct ionization mass spectrometry (MS) technique, and when combined with triple quadrupole MS/MS, it allows for rapid confirmation of food contaminants. The lack of chromatography in CBS, though, compromises the specificity of the measurement for unequivocal identification of contaminants, based on the European Union (EU) regulation. Therefore, a rapid and easy-to-use immuno-magnetic blade spray (iMBS) method was developed in which immuno-enriched paramagnetic microspheres replace the coating of CBS. The iMBS-MS/MS method was fully optimized, validated in-house following the EU 2021/808 regulation, and benchmarked against a commercial lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) for on-site screening of DA. The applicability of iMBS-MS/MS was further demonstrated by analyzing incurred mussel samples. The combination of immunorecognition and MS/MS detection in iMBS-MS/MS enhances the measurement's selectivity, which is demonstrated by the rapid differentiation between the marine toxin domoic acid (DA) and its structural analog kainic acid (KA), which cannot be achieved with the LFIA alone. Interestingly, this first-ever reported iMBS-MS/MS method is generic and can be adapted to include any other immuno-captured food contaminant, provided that monoclonal antibodies are available, thus offering a complementary confirmatory analysis approach to multiplex immunoassay screening methods. Moreover, thanks to its speed of analysis, iMBS-MS/MS can bridge the logistics gap between future large-scale on-site testings using LFIAs and classical time-consuming confirmatory MS analysis performed in official control laboratories.

Background Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) a mycotoxin produced by Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus is a potent carcinogen and causative agent of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It is a food contaminant which presents a major risk to human health. AFB1 contamination poses a significant economic burden, as 25% of the world's food crops need to be destroyed annually. The mechanism of action (MOA) of aflatoxins remains to be fully elucidated. Recent findings suggest that AFB1 mediated endocrine disruption may occur in the population of regions with high contamination, even without evidence of direct dietary intake. Objective An integrative systems biology approach was undertaken to decipher the estrogenic component of the mechanism of action (MOA) of AFB1. Methods Molecular Docking and Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to examine the binding affinity of AFB1 and its metabolite aflatoxin Q1 (AFQ1) with the Estrogen Receptors (ERs). Differential gene expression (DGE), gene ontology (GO) and pathway analyses were carried out on hepatic transcriptomic data generated from in vivo AFB1 exposures. In parallel exposures to the synthetic estrogen ethinylestradiol (EE2) were examined for overlapping effects. Finally, protein–protein interaction (PPI) network analysis assessed the involvement of estrogen responsive targets (ERTs) associated with aflatoxin exposure. Results The free energies of binding affinity and estimated equilibrium dissociation constants (KD) demonstrated that AFB1 and AFQ1 can interact with the ERα and ERβ. DGE and GO analyses highlighted overlap in the responses between AFB1 and EE2 treatments with the activation of key processes involved in estrogenic signaling. PPI network analyses after AFBI exposure revealed a dynamic response to AFB1 treatments with the solid involvement of ERTs in regulatory networks. Conclusions This study revealed molecular interactions between aflatoxins (AFB1, AFQ1) and ERs in addition to overlap in differentially expressed genes and biological processes following AFB1 and EE2 exposures. The estrogenic components at the core of the PPI networks suggest that ER-mediated signaling pathways are a major component in the MOA of aflatoxins.

Infrared (IR) spectroscopy is increasingly being used to analyze food crops for quality and safety purposes in a rapid, nondestructive, and eco-friendly manner. The lack of sensitivity and the overlapping absorption characteristics of major sample matrix components, however, often prevent the direct determination of food contaminants at trace levels. By measuring fungal-induced matrix changes with near IR and mid IR spectroscopy as well as hyperspectral imaging, the indirect determination of mycotoxins in food crops has been realized. Recent studies underline that such IR spectroscopic platforms have great potential for the rapid analysis of mycotoxins along the food and feed supply chain. However, there are no published reports on the validation of IR methods according to official regulations, and those publications that demonstrate their applicability in a routine analytical set-up are scarce. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to discuss the current state-of-the-art and the potential of IR spectroscopic methods for the rapid determination of mycotoxins in food crops. The study critically reflects on the applicability and limitations of IR spectroscopy in routine analysis and provides guidance to non-spectroscopists from the food and feed sector considering implementation of IR spectroscopy for rapid mycotoxin screening. Finally, an outlook on trends, possible fields of applications, and different ways of implementation in the food and feed safety area are discussed.

With continued global population expansion, food production will have to increase with crops protected against the growing menace of pests, requiring the increased use of pesticides globally to ensure that agricultural production is optimised and remains economically viable. The aim of this systematic review was to perform an in-depth analysis of pesticide legislation, focusing on rice, to understand the gaps that exist in the harmonisation across different countries. Tricyclazole, carbendazim, thiamethoxam and acephate were considered as these received the highest numbers of RASFF notifications and alerts due to their presence in rice. Global differences in regulations cause trade issues, especially when developing countries use unauthorised pesticides or different MRLs. Discrepancies in the registration and regulation of sales were found to be a global problem. Sales of pesticides and resulting residues in developing countries that are banned in the EU or US is highly concerning. Evidence suggests farmers’ education regarding pesticide use and protection must be increased, particularly as climate change is impacting pesticide use patterns and their bio-efficacy. In conclusion, international pesticide regulations have been implemented to protect consumer health, the environment and facilitate international trade. However, the absence of national MRLs in some countries or non-alignments with Codex MRLs raise significant concerns regarding some pesticides in relation to the protection of consumer health and the use of mixtures versus single pesticides. Additionally, global differences in pesticide regulation highlight problems in trade, especially when developing countries use unauthorised pesticides or when MRLs are not in agreement.

Fungal contamination of agricultural commodities, particularly by mycotoxigenic fungi, represents an enormous concern for global food security in terms of feeding the world's growing population with sufficient and safe food. Not only do they reduce crop yield and quality, but they also produce substantial numbers of mycotoxins, which pose serious adverse health effects in human and animals. As the genome of most mycotoxigenic species have been sequenced, the gene clusters involved in the biosynthesis of agriculturally important mycotoxins including aflatoxins, fumonisins, ochratoxins, zearalenone and trichothecenes, have been largely identified and characterised, with their roles elucidated by researchers. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge of genes involved in the biosynthetic pathways of mycotoxins. In addition, the influence of climatic factors including water, temperature and carbon dioxide on differential mycotoxin gene expressions have been highlighted. Overall, the relationship between the relative expression of key regulatory and structural genes under different environmental conditions is significantly correlated with mycotoxins production. This indicates that mycotoxin gene induction can be used as a reliable indicator or marker to monitor mycotoxin production pre-and-post harvest. Furthermore, current strategies to manage mycotoxin risks still require improvement. Thus, an accurate understanding of the molecular mechanisms of mycotoxin biosynthesis in mycotoxigenic species could help to develop an innovative, robust targeted control strategy. This could include the exploitation of novel compounds, which can inhibit biosynthetic genes, to minimise mycotoxin risks.

Background Global food regulations and consumer demands require that the provenance of food can be traced from farm to fork. Currently organic products are not routinely tested for authenticity even though they have substantial added value and are therefore clear targets for fraud. In recent years there has been a rising number of cases of misrepresentation of conventional produce as organic. Various analytical techniques have been applied for the authentication of organic crops over the past decade, but the lack of reliable markers and the diversity of organic and conventional cultivation strategies present challenges for the development of robust analytical methods that can be used routinely in food control systems. Scope and approach Novel approaches such as high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) metabolomics are increasingly being applied for the authentication of foods. This paper reviews the latest applications, advantages, challenges and future perspectives of targeted and untargeted metabolomics for discrimination between organic and conventional crops. Key findings and conclusions A growing number of studies report the potential of HRMS-based metabolomics approaches for discrimination between organic and conventional crops. Various primary and secondary metabolites are reported as markers for organic production. Approaches using data from combined techniques, such as untargeted and targeted metabolomics or metabolomics and stable isotope analysis, can improve the robustness of discriminative models and require further validation. Standardization of untargeted analyses and generation of HRMS metabolomics databases are required to facilitate the wider use of untargeted metabolomics for the authentication of organic crops.

To tackle antimicrobial resistance, it is vital that dairy farmers and veterinarians antimicrobial use behaviors and attitudes towards resistance are understood to identify how beliefs and motives influence practices. Current literature details qualitative and quantitative research exploring dairy farmer and veterinarian’s knowledge, attitudes and perceptions on antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial practices with varied and conflicting reported findings. Our objective was therefore to conduct a systematic review to assess the evidence and knowledge gaps in published literature. Articles were identified via database searches of Embase, Medline, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science and were limited to published articles available in English with no publication year restrictions. Article screening was conducted at 3 levels: title, abstract and full text. Of the 349 articles identified, 35 were retained for systematic review. Transparency of reporting was assessed for each study using the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) framework. Quality was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) qualitative checklist. Findings relating to dairy farmers and veterinarian’s knowledge, attitudes and perceptions on antimicrobial resistance and practices were thematically analysed. Comprehensiveness of reporting was variable: studies reported between 5 and 26 of the 32 COREQ checklist items. Five key themes emerged from the data: (1) Knowledge and awareness of antimicrobial resistance, (2) Factors influencing farmer and veterinarian decision making, (3) Perceived barriers and facilitators to reduced antimicrobial use, (4) Perceived responsibility to antimicrobial resistance and (5) The role of the farmer and veterinarian relationship in reducing antimicrobial use. Awareness of prudent antimicrobial use was not uniform between reviewed studies. Many factors influence farmer and veterinarian’s decisions to use antimicrobials including animal welfare and available resources. The farmer-veterinarian relationship is considered a potential barrier or facilitator of reduced antimicrobial use, depending on the perceived relationship dynamic. Encouraging collaboration between farmers and veterinarians could lead to a shared responsibility to reducing antimicrobial use. This review provided a coherent picture of what is currently known and identified gaps in the current knowledge to be used to inform future behavioural intervention research. Increased knowledge, skill development, increased resources, increased engagement, and further research to address the gaps identified are the main recommendations to effectively overcome barriers and elicit appropriate behavior change to achieve reduced antimicrobial use in dairy cattle.

Agricultural systems are increasingly impacted by micro- and nanoplastic (MNP) pollution raising concerns for food safety and security. To understand the scale of the problem and develop mitigation strategies, there is a need to characterise the effects and impacts of MNP. Here, we discuss the main MNP entry pathways into the human food chain and their effects/impact on food and feed sources, identifying major research gaps hindering robust risk assessments of MNP pollution. We identified emerging and current analytical methods to facilitate the closing of those gaps. An interdisciplinary approach combining omics strategies with novel methods for fast and reliable MNP measurement and plastic additive leaching characterisation across multiple dynamic environments can accurately quantify MNP pollution risks. Data of this type is essential to support policy development and legislation to prevent further MNP pollution from causing food safety and security problems worldwide.

Background: Aflatoxin is considered to be the most important mycotoxin in the world for human food and animal feed. Current strategies for the reduction of mycotoxins in food and feed includes both prevention and removal. It is clear that the development and implementation of novel decontamination methods is critical for the protection of human and animal health. Scope and approach: This review focuses on post-harvest- biological, chemical and physical processes that could potentially be applied to aflatoxin decontamination. The application of novel technologies are reviewed in detail, as well as the advantages, disadvantages and limitations of these methods. This review investigates the potential for novel approaches to achieve aflatoxin decontamination. Key findings and conclusion: The limitations that are associated with conventional methods of mycotoxin removal have led to ongoing research into alternative decontamination methods using novel technologies. The combination of fluorescence-based sorting to remove highly contaminated produce, paired with a secondary decontamination process is believed to have great potential to deliver effective reduction in aflatoxin contamination, whilst retaining the organoleptic and nutritional profile, and preventing significant food waste. Novel decontamination approaches when applied to aflatoxin decontamination are of huge interest and a growing need for global food security. The Mars Global Food Safety Center, Beijing, China

Tropane alkaloids (TAs) are secondary plant metabolites derived mainly from Solanaceae plant families, with the most virulent invasive species being Datura stramonium. Datura stramonium commonly grows in cereal fields and produce TAs (e.g., hyoscyamine and scopolamine) which may accidentally contaminate cereals (and cereal-based foods) at occasionally high levels. Dietary exposure to TAs can be toxic and depending on the dose ingested can cause outcomes ranging from anticholinergic effects to acute poisoning and death. In 2019, 315 adults became ill and another five adults died in Uganda following consumption of a "Super Cereal" (a fortified blended food) that was later confirmed to be contaminated by TAs-a scenario which provoked this holistic review on TAs in foodstuffs. Thus, this article provides information on the history, development, occurrences, exposures, and human legislative and health benchmarks for TAs. It describes control strategies for reducing TA contamination of agricultural commodities and resultant health implications following consumption of TA contaminated foodstuffs. Adequate application of food safety control measures (including maximum limits) and good practices, from the start of cereal cultivation through to the final stages of manufacturing of food products can aid in the reduction of seeing toxic plants including D. stramonium in cereal fields.

Peanut and its processed products are recurrently contaminated with aflatoxins (AFs) which are of potential public health concern. Among the different types of AFs, Aflatoxin B1 (B1) is the most frequently detected in peanuts over the maximum level (ML), and thus has warranted considerable research interest in the domain of food safety. In this study, we investigated the decontamination of B1 in three naturally-incurred lots (4, 12, and 40 µg/kg) of peanuts by a range of cooking treatments, including frying, pressure cooking, and roasting. B1 concentrations were determined by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography- fluorescence detection. The method provided a limit of quantification of 0.25 µg/kg for B1, which was much lower than any of its national and international MLs. The recoveries of B1 in fresh and cooked peanuts (positive-control) were in the range of 90–100%. Overall, all the cooking methods demonstrated a significant reduction in B1 loads. The degree to which the processing methods reduced the B1 content followed the pattern: roasting with a combination of NaCl and citric acid > pressure-cooking with a combination of NaCl and citric acid > frying. As the cooking procedures did not involve any complicated steps or sophisticated equipment, these could be readily adopted for decontamination or reduction in the level of B1 for a safer consumption of peanuts at the household level without affecting the organoleptic properties. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s13197-020-04761-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background Rice is an important staple food that is consumed around the world. Like many foods, the price of rice varies considerably, from very inexpensive for a low-quality product to premium pricing for highly prized varieties from specific locations. Therefore, like other foods it is vulnerable to economically motivated adulteration through substitution or misrepresentation of inferior-quality rice for more expensive varieties. Objective In this article we describe results of a research project focused on addressing potential food fraud issues related to rice supplies in China, India, Vietnam, and Ghana. Rice fraud manifests differently in each country; therefore, tailored solutions were required. Method Here we describe a two-tiered testing regime of rapid screening using portable Near Infrared technology supported by second tier testing using mass spectrometry-based analysis of suspicious samples. Results Portable Near Infrared spectroscopy models and laboratory-based Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry methods were developed to differentiate between: high-value Basmati rice varieties and their potential adulterants; six Geographic Indicated protected rice varieties from specific regions within China; various qualities of rice in Ghana and Vietnam; and locally produced and imported rice in Ghana. Furthermore, an Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry method was developed to support the Chinese rice varieties methods as well as a Liquid Chromatography Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry method for quality differentiation in Vietnam. Conclusions/Highlights This two-tier approach can provide a substantially increased level of testing through rapid screening outside of the laboratory with the reassurance of corroborating mass spectrometry-based laboratory analysis to support decision making.

Green, Andy J. et al., One of cadmium’s major exposure routes to humans is through rice consumption. The concentrations of cadmium in the global polished (white), market rice supply-chain were assessed in 2270 samples, purchased from retailers across 32 countries, encompassing 6 continents. It was found on a global basis that East Africa had the lowest cadmium with a median for both Malawi and Tanzania at 4.9 μg/kg, an order of magnitude lower than the highest country, China with a median at 69.3 μg/ kg. The Americas were typically low in cadmium, but the Indian sub-continent was universally elevated. In particular certain regions of Bangladesh had high cadmium, that when combined with the high daily consumption rate of rice of that country, leads to high cadmium exposures. Concentrations of cadmium were compared to the European Standard for polished rice of 200 μg/kg and 5% of the global supply-chain exceeded this threshold. For the stricter standard of 40 μg/kg for processed infant foods, for which rice can comprise up to 100% by composition (such as rice porridges, puffed rice cereal and cakes), 25% of rice would not be suitable for making pure rice baby foods. Given that rice is also elevated in inorganic arsenic, the only region of the world where both inorganic arsenic and cadmium were low in grain was East Africa.

A rapid analytical method was developed and validated for the analysis of eight bound nitrofurans in animal tissue, shortening laboratory turnaround times from 4 to 2 days. The majority of methodologies for nitrofuran analysis focus on the detection of only four drugs (nitrofurantoin, furazolidone, furaltadone and nitrofurazone), and is time-consuming given the 16-h overnight derivatisation step and a double liquid–liquid extraction. In this study, the narrow scope of analysis was addressed by including further four important nitrofuran drugs (nifursol, nitrofuroxazide, nifuraldezone and nitrovin). Full chromatographic separation was achieved for the metabolites of all eight nitrofurans, using phenyl-hexyl column chemistry and a rigorous optimisation of the mobile phase additives and gradient profile. The conventional, lengthy sample preparation was substantially shortened by replacing the traditional overnight water bath derivatisation with a rapid 2-h microwave-assisted reaction, followed by a modified-QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe) extraction. This confirmatory method was fully validated in accordance with the new 2021/808/EC legislation, and was shown to perform satisfactorily when applied to incurred tissues. The decision limit (CCα) for the eight analytes ranged between 0.013 and 0.200 µg kg−1, showing abundant sensitivity given that the current RPA for nitrofurans is 0.5 µg kg−1. This innovative method can play a major role in the surveillance of the illegal use of nitrofuran drugs. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00216-021-03763-0.