Health risk assessment of plant-based supplements containing mycotoxins using margin of exposure approach

Kamarozaman, Nur Syazwin (2024) Health risk assessment of plant-based supplements containing mycotoxins using margin of exposure approach. [Project Paper] (Submitted)

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Abstract

Introduction: Plant-based supplements (PBS) give a good perception to the public that it is safe to consume and may help provide extra nutrition and energy to the consumers. However, it is not as good as it seems. This is because the PBS may contain dangerous contaminants for instance mycotoxins that may cause liver toxicity to human. Objectives: The objective of this study is to assess the health risk posed by PBS containing mycotoxins, specifically Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), Aflatoxin B2 (AFB2), and Ochratoxin A (OTA), by employing the margin of exposure (MOE) approach. Methodology: This study employed a quantitative and experimental research design. The Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe (QuEChERS) was employed to extract PBS. Subsequently, the mycotoxins were quantified using Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS). The health risk evaluation of PBS involved calculating the estimated daily intake (EDI) and using it to derive the MOE value. The One-Sample T-test was employed to assess the concentration of total aflatoxins in the positive samples in relation to the regulatory threshold specified in the Malaysian Food Act 1983 and Food Regulation 1985. Results and Discussion: Among the 14 samples examined using LC-MS, 4 samples (28.57%) tested positive for AFB1, all 14 samples (100%) contained AFB2, and 6 samples (42.86%) contained OTA. The LC-MS analysis results were then adjusted using the recovery percentage suggested by the previous research. The concentrations of mycotoxins ranged from 0.087 μg/kg to 66.377 μg/kg for AFB1, 26.373 μg/kg to 295.044 μg/kg for AFB2, and 0.455 μg/kg to 61.898 μg/kg for OTA. Sample B2 and Sample B10 were found to contain all three contaminants in the PBS samples. All samples containing AFB1 (B2, B9, and B10), AFB2 (all PBS samples), and OTA (B2, B3, B6, and B10) had MOE values below 10,000, except for sample R1 (AFB1), B1 (OTA), and B4 (OTA). All samples were found to have total AFs levels that exceeded the regulation limit of 5 μg/kg (p<0.001). Conclusion: Our research concluded that PBS samples were contaminated with at least one form of mycotoxin, highlighting the need for immediate risk management measures. In order to protect public health, it is recommended for the implementation of stricter regulations by governments, mandating the complete removal of all botanicals containing AFB1, AFB2, and OTA, which are known to pose potential risks to human well-being. Establishing appropriate production techniques during the pre-harvest, post-harvest, and storage phases is essential to minimise the occurrence of mycotoxins. These practices significantly influence the quality and safety of PBS throughout handling, distribution, storage, and harvesting. Keywords: Health risk assessment, Plant-based supplements, Mycotoxins, Margin of exposure

Item Type:	Project Paper
Subjects:	R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine
Faculty:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Science
Depositing User:	Ms Norafizah Radzuan
Date Deposited:	28 Apr 2025 08:33
Last Modified:	16 Oct 2025 02:53
URI:	http://psaspb.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/2364

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