A worldwide systematic review, meta‐analysis, and health risk assessment study of mycotoxins in beers

Abstract

Mycotoxins, including aflatoxins (AFs), ochratoxin A (OTA), deoxynivalenol (DON), fumonisins (FBs), and zearalenone (ZEN), have been reported as beer contaminants. This systematic review and meta-analysis provide the prevalence and concentration of mycotoxins in beers and their worldwide distribution. Mycotoxin's exposure and cancer risk through beer consumption were determined. The overall pooled prevalence of mycotoxins in beers was 31% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 28%-35%; I 2 = 90%, p = .00). The most prevalent mycotoxins in beers were DON and its derivatives (53%), OTA (52%), FBs (47%), followed by AFs (12%). Iran (99%), Hungary (95%), Denmark (92%), Armenia (83%), and Cyprus (83%) had the highest mycotoxin prevalence in beers. The global mycotoxins average concentration in beers was 12.52 μg/L (95% CI = 10.70-14.75 μg/L; I 2 = 100%, p = .00). DON and its derivatives showed the highest concentration (26.91 μg/L), followed by FBs (23.19 μg/L), ZEN and its derivatives (20.25 μg/L), and AFs (15.65 μg/L). African region had the highest mycotoxins concentration (73.95 μg/L) mostly due to the high levels reported in beers from Cameroon (293.02 μg/L), Malawi (132.34 μg/L), and Eastern Cape province (126.12 μg/L). The meta-regression indicated stability (p ≥ .05) of the global pooled concentration of mycotoxins in beers over the years, whereas FBs concentration increased. The intake of DON and its derivatives, FBs, ZEN and its derivatives, and OTA through beers is of concern in African countries. OTA is also of concern in Brazil and Belgium. Results show high mycotoxins concentration in beers worldwide and highlight the health risks through contaminated beer consumption.

Discussion on emergency management of food safety from the perspective of foodborne diseases caused by mycotoxins

“…The most dangerous one is AFB1, which is classified as a human carcinogen (Group 1 carcinogen) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and can cause death at high doses (Misihairabgwi et al, 2019). Long-term exposure to AFB1 has strong toxic effects such as carcinogenesis, teratogenicity, mutagenicity, immunosuppression, and nutritional disorders (Sun et al, 2015;Theumer et al, 2018), which may cause primary jaundice, liver cancer, chronic hepatitis, and cirrhosis (Marrez & Ayesh, 2022;Schabo et al, 2021). AFB1 has strong acute and subacute toxicity in humans and animals after short exposure.…”

Relevant Fusarium Mycotoxins in Malt and Beer

“…Azam et al, (2021) [18] reviewed not only the mycotoxins occurring in different beers and other beverages but also today's strategies for their detection and mitigation. A very detailed systematic review and meta-analysis of mycotoxins in beer were recently published [19]. The authors estimated the contribution of beer consumption to the tolerable daily intake (TDI) or provisional maximum tolerable daily intake (PMTDI) of different Fusarium mycotoxins in different countries and regions worldwide.…”

Mycotoxin multiplex microsphere immunoassays : Screening from ingredients to beer

“…This can of course be considered as good news for lovers of high quality produced beers. On the other hand, in the light of the findings presented in chapter 6 of this thesis, the concerns for human health due to the absence of MLs set for (craft) beer should be taken into account and more style-defined surveys of craft beer should be seriously considered [103]. Even though beer seems to be a popular matrix for mycotoxin screening surveys, surveys with a strong focus on defined craft beer styles are really scarce [104].…”

“…The occurrence of mycotoxins in beer has been widely documented, and in recent years the focus also has been on craft beer [20,[101][102][103]. Water, barley and malt are the main ingredients for beer brewing.…”

“…These authors suggested that: a. brewing-malts should be responsibly monitored before the brewing process, b. official maximum levels for beer should be installed and c. the monitoring of DON and its metabolites in future beer surveys. The introduction of MLs for beer has been suggested more often (this thesis, [103]).…”