Exposure assessment of Catalonian population to mycotoxins.

The general objective of the present thesis was to assess the exposure of Catalonian population to the major mycotoxins, aflatoxins group B and G, aflatoxin M1, patulin and the Fusarium toxins deoxynivalenol, fumonisins, T-2 and HT-2 toxins, and zearalenone. More than 1300 pooled samples were analysed for 1 to 6 mycotoxins. Chemical analysis was performed by means of validated methods, consisting on immunoaffinity column purification and HPLC determination. A nutritional study was carried out using a specific food frequency questionnaire administered to almost 1400 individuals, including special groups such as infants, celiac sufferers and immigrants. Considering results from our studies, the highest levels of positive were reached for deoxynivalenol and fumonisins. Very few samples were found to exceed the EU limits. The main health concern derived from mycotoxins was focused in A and B-type trichothecenes. Moreover a biomarker of exposure to fumonisins was evaluated on human biological samples.

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