Citizen science project to determine fungal diversity from moldy foods in consumer households and evaluate the mycotoxin risk
Résumé
Food losses and waste are a global issue and can occur throughout the entire food chain including at the consumer level [1]. Food waste due to molds was estimated between 5-10% [2]. Besides food spoilage, some molds can produce mycotoxins which represents a health risk. In addition, mycotoxins can potentially migrate into foods without being detected by consumers [3]. In this context, a nationwide citizen science campaign was conducted to collect moldy foods from French households and identify contaminating fungi. Over 250 samples were collected, including fruits and vegetables, cheeses and other dairy products, jams and bakery products. Fruits and vegetables were the most prevalent moldy food category (~42% of collected samples), followed by cheeses (~16%) and bakery products (~14%). Among identified molds, around 75% belonged to Penicillium but Fusarium, Cladosporium, Aspergillus, Mucor, Botrytis and Alternaria were also common contaminants. Among these molds, more than one half corresponded to potential mycotoxin-producers (e.g. Penicillium expansum, Penicillium crustosum, Fusarium oxysporum, Alternaria alternata). Among these species, Alternaria alternata (identification with ITS gene) was selected for further study. Among collected isolates, several mycotoxins (i.e. alternariol, alternariol monomethyl ether and tenuazonic acid) were produced after inoculation on tomatoes with distinct strain-dependent production profiles. Mycotoxin migration is currently being tested using two matrices, tomatoes and peppers, and our worst case model and 3D sampling procedure [3-4]. Fungal growth and mycotoxin production in increasing widthwise and depthwise samples is being monitored in conditions mimicking consumer storage (room temperature or cold storage). The long term plan, based on results from mycotoxin migration, in vitro mycotoxin toxicity will then be evaluated on intestinal and hepatic cell models using the concentrations determined in foods. This study will provide novel information about mycotoxin risk exposure due to moldy foods and ultimately lead to food safety recommendations linked to moldy foods in consumer households. [1] FAO, Global food losses and food waste – Extent; causes and prevention, Rome, 2011, https://www.fao.org/3/mb060e/mb060e00.htm. [2] Pitt, JI.; Hocking, AD., Fungi and Food Spoilage, Boston.; MA, Springer US, 2009, doi: 10.1007/978-0-387-92207-2. [3] Coton, M.; Dantigny, P., Mycotoxin Migration in moldy foods. Current Opinion in Food Science, 2019, 29, 88–93, doi: 10.1016/j.cofs.2019.08.007. [4] Coton, M.; Bregier, T.; Poirier, E.; Debaets, S.; Arnich, N.; Coton, E.; Dantigny, P., Production and migration of patulin in Penicillium expansum molded apples during cold and ambient storage. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 2020, 313, 108377, doi: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2019.108377.