COMPARATIVE TOXICOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF MUSCLE TISSUES OF FISH AND MAMMALS CONTAMINATED WITH AFLATOXIN B1, USING AN INDICATOR CULTURE TETRAHYMENA PYRIFORMIS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58407/bht.3.25.12Keywords:
aflatoxin B1, toxicity, fish, mammals, muscle tissue, Tetrahymena pyriformis, food safetyAbstract
Purpose of the work. The study is aimed at comparing the degree of toxicity of muscle tissues of fish and mammals artificially contaminated with aflatoxin B1, using the culture of the ciliate Tetrahymena pyriformis as a bioindicator and determining the toxicological features of fish muscle tissue and the need to adjust the standards for the maximum permissible level (MRL) of aflatoxin in fish products.
Methodology. The experiment used samples of homogenized fish and pork muscles, into which aflatoxin B1 was added in concentrations corresponding to 1 and 2 MRLs for meat. A 3–5-day culture of the ciliate T. pyriformis was used as a test object, which was incubated for 48 hours. Toxicity was assessed by morphological and physiological indicators of test organisms (number of cells, presence of cells in a state of division, mobility and nature of movements, degree of deformation). Control samples included toxin-free muscles and saline.
Scientific novelty. For the first time, a direct comparison of the toxicity of muscle tissue of fish and warm-blooded animals contaminated with aflatoxin B1 was carried out on an indicator culture of ciliates. It was found that at a two-fold excess of the MDR, fish muscles do not demonstrate the moderate toxicity observed in pork samples. This may indicate differences in metabolic stability and binding of aflatoxin by proteins of different amino acid composition.
Conclusions. The results of the study showed that the muscles of warm-blooded animals at a two-fold excess of the MDR of aflatoxin B1 are potentially dangerous in terms of chronic poisoning, while similar indicators in fish tissues do not show such toxicity. This allows us to assume that the maximum permissible level of aflatoxin B1 in fish products may be higher than in mammalian meat. The data obtained highlight the need for further research on the regulation of mycotoxin content in fish products and their impact on the safety of the food chain. The outcomes of the research highlight the importance of re-evaluating existing food safety regulations with regard to mycotoxins in aquatic organisms. Considering the widespread role of fish in global nutrition, establishing scientifically justified permissible levels of aflatoxin B1 in fish products is crucial for ensuring both consumer safety and the rational use of food resources. Ultimately, such studies contribute to the broader understanding of food chain toxicology and help mitigate potential public health risks associated with hidden mycotoxin contamination. The differences in toxicity between fish and mammals indicate species-specific features of the interaction of aflatoxin B1 with muscle proteins, which is likely due to different amino acid composition and metabolic processes. Based on the results, it can be assumed that the current standards for the maximum permissible level of aflatoxin B1 for fish products are overly conservative if they are directly aligned with the standards for meat of warm-blooded animals.
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