[Assessment of mercury contamination in the marketed shrimp in Tehran: a health consideration]

Mercury contamination of aquatic ecosystem, due to its bioaccumulation, persistence, high risk and poisoning has become a concern in recent years. Consumption of shrimp as a rich source of protein, peptides, amino acid and minerals [Cu, Mg, Zn, I] is growing up. The purpose of the present study is to determine the mercury content of shrimp in Tehran market and compare this with international limits. For this purpose, 19 samples were collected randomly from different retail markets in different parts of Tehran and their mercury content was measured by Mercury Analyzer DMA-80 with standard method ASTM D6722. The results were compared using one-way analysis of variance [ANOVA]. It was found that, the mean level of mercury in muscles of all examined samples was 76.44 +/- 8.59 ppb, that is in agreement with the existing data and lower than the WHO and FAO guideline [500 ppb]. Shrimp consumption considering its mercury content is permitted in Tehran and has no serious risk to human health

Evaluation of aflatoxin contamination in Maize from Mazandaran province in Iran

In Iran, maize is cultivated in wide areas including northern provinces. It is one of the most important crops for poultry and livestock feeding, which is susceptible to aflatoxins [AFs] contamination. So, pre-harvest maize samples from Mazandaran province, north of Iran were analyzed for AFs contamination. Thirty-five pre-harvest maize samples were analyzed using immunoaffinity column and reversed-phase liquid chromatography with post-column derivatization. Data revealed that incidence of AFB1, AFB2 and total aflatoxins [AFT] in maize samples were 66%, 54% and 63% with mean of 9.5 +/- 16.3, 1.7 +/- 2.6 and 10.4 +/- 18.4 ng/g, respectively. The mean level of AFB1 in samples was higher than the Iranian maximum tolerated level [MTL]. But, AFT mean level [10.4 ng/g] was lower than the Iranian and US [20 ng/g] MTLs

Potential transmission of human fascioliasis through traditional local foods, in Northern Iran

Ingestion of infective metacercariae, attached to watercress or other various species of water and terrestrial plants, has been implicated as the main source of human contamination by fasciolid flukes. Presence of several species of aromatic wild grown plants, which are eaten fresh on the table or used for preparation of some plant-made foods [Delar, mixture of salt and ground local plants, as a paste and Zeitoon-Parvardeh, olives in walnut sauce, as an appetizer] have been suggested to play a role in human contamination in the endemic zone of fascioliasis, in Gilan province, northern Iran. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of ingredients using for preparation of these local foods on viability and infectivity of liver fluke metacercariae. Metacercariae for this study were obtained by experimental infections of Lymnaea gedrosiana, collected from Bandar Anzali endemic zone. The viability and infectivity of metacercariae kept in Zeitoon-Parvardeh and Delar was checked by microscopical analyses and animal infection assays. The results indicate the possibility of human contamination following consumption of these traditional foods when prepared with fresh vegetables presenting attached metacercariae

[ effect of estrogenic mycotoxins in fertility disorder]

Mycotoxins are naturally secondary metabolites of filamentous fungi, more specifically molds, that have adverse effects on biological organisms. A class of mycotoxins with estrogenic activity is Estrogenic mycotoxins [mycoestrogens] that produced by Fusarium fungi. The only class of mycoestrogens so far determined is the zearalenones [ZEAs]. Zearalenones are non-steroidal compounds belonged to beta-resorcylic acid lactones. ZEAs can bind estrogen receptors because they are able to adopt a conformation sufficiently resembling 17 beta-estradiol and other natural estrogens. For this reason, ZEAs have shown to cause alterations in the reproductive tract of laboratory and domestic animals, resulting in estrogenic syndrome. ZEAs have been observed to possess tumor-promoting activity in the human similar to that of estrogens and hypothetically can induce proliferation and carcinogenesis in estrogen dependent tissues such as endometrium and cervix. ZEAs were suspected to be the causative agent in some epidemics of precocious pubertal changes such as premature thelarche and gynecomastia in young children in some countries. Contamination of cereals especially corn with fusarium fungi, produces ZEAs. Therefore, routine laboratory determination of mycotoxins especially zearalenones are necessary to evaluate contamination rate of fungi toxins