Mycotoxin-mixture assessment in mother-infant pairs in Nigeria: From mothers' meal to infants’ urine

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) 2022-01, Vol.287, p.132226-132226, Article 132226
• Main Authors: Braun, Dominik, Abia, Wilfred A., Šarkanj, Bojan, Sulyok, Michael, Waldhoer, Thomas, Erber, Astrid C., Krska, Rudolf, Turner, Paul C., Marko, Doris, Ezekiel, Chibundu N., Warth, Benedikt
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Environmental contaminants; Exposome; Food safety; Human biomonitoring (HBM); Infant and public health; Sub-Saharan Africa
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.132226

Exposure to food and environmental contaminants is a global environmental health issue. In this study, innovative LC-MS/MS approaches were applied to investigate mycotoxin co-exposure in mother-infant pairs (n = 23) by analyzing matched plate-ready food, breast milk and urine samples of mothers and their exclusively breastfed infants. The study revealed frequent co-occurrence of two to five mycotoxins. Regulated (e.g. aflatoxins, deoxynivalenol and ochratoxin A) and emerging mycotoxins (e.g. alternariol monomethyl ether and beauvericin) were frequently detected (3 %–89 % and 45 %–100 %), in at least one specimen. In addition, a moderate association of ochratoxin A in milk to urine of mothers (r = 0.47; p = 0.003) and infants (r = 0.52; p = 0.019) but no other significant correlations were found. Average concentration levels in food mostly did not exceed European maximum residue limits, and intake estimates demonstrated exposure below tolerable daily intake values. Infants were exposed to significantly lower toxin levels compared to their mothers, indicating the protective effect of breastfeeding. However, the transfer into milk and urine and the resulting chronic low-dose exposure warrant further monitoring. In the future, occurrence of mycotoxin-mixtures, and their combined toxicological effects need to be comprehensively considered and implemented in risk management strategies. These should aim to minimize early-life exposure in critical developmental stages. [Display omitted] •Matched food, breast milk and urine samples were analyzed for mycotoxin-mixtures.•Moderate association (r = 0.52) of ochratoxin A between breast milk and urine.•European maximum concentration levels tolerated in food were mostly not reached.•Exposure of mothers and infants were below the tolerable daily intake value.•Breastfeeding benefits outweighs potential mycotoxin contamination.