https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0683-5685
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ABSTRACT
Salicornia
spp. are traditionally used in Asia as food, forage and medicine. In the West, its popularity has been increasing as an alternative to salt. Nevertheless, the potential presence of contaminants needs to be considered. Hence this study, which aimed to investigate the presence of potentially mycotoxigenic fungi and the occurrence of aflatoxins and ochratoxin A in Salicornia sampled in Portugal. Fungi isolation was performed by the direct plating technique in selective media. The mycotoxins contamination levels were determined by an Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-ToF-MS). The results suggest that Salicornia is highly susceptible to fungi infestation, e.g. by Aspergillus and Penicillium species. Relevant levels of AFB1 > 5 µg/Kg and total aflatoxins (sum of AFB1, AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2) > 10 µg/Kg were found in various samples.
Author Contributions
All authors have contributed extensively and have given approval for publication. Maria Lopes, Maria Castilho, Carlos Cavaleiro, and Fernando Ramos designed the study. Maria Lopes, Ana Sanches-Silva, Andreia Freitas, Jorge Barbosa, and Maria José Gonçalves performed the experiments. All authors analysed the data and wrote the manuscript.
Disclosure Statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Declaration of Interest Statement
The manuscript describes the presence of potentially mycotoxigenic fungi and the occurrence of aflatoxins (AFs) (B1, B2, G1, and G2) and ochratoxin A (OTA) in Salicornia. AFs were found in various analysed samples (AFB1> 5 µg/Kg and total sum AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, and AFG2> 10 µg/Kg) and OTA was not detected. The results were discussed regarding a need to introduce legal limits for AFs in Salicornia and devise strategies to prevent contamination to both protect consumers and assist producers in marketing a high-quality product.