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Occupational exposure to mould and microbial metabolites during onion sorting--insights into an overlooked workplace

Stefan Mayer1, Magdalena Twarużek2, Anna Błajet-Kosicka2

  • 1Department of Prevention, BGHW Institution for Statutory Accident Insurance and Prevention in the Trade and Goods Logistics, M5, 7, 68161, Mannheim, Germany. S.Mayer@bghw.de.

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
|February 12, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Manual onion sorting may expose workers to mycotoxins. While risks appear low, certain mycotoxins like deoxynivalenol were detected on onion skins, necessitating consideration in risk assessments.

Area of Science:

  • Agricultural Science
  • Food Safety
  • Analytical Chemistry

Background:

  • Manual sorting of onions is a known source of bioaerosol exposure for workers.
  • Previous research has not extensively investigated the potential for mycotoxin exposure during this process.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the extent of mycotoxin exposure associated with manual onion sorting.
  • To provide initial data on the presence and levels of mycotoxins on outer onion skins.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of 12 onion skin samples from diverse origins.
  • Utilized a multimycotoxin method targeting 40 mycotoxins.
  • Employed liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization and triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) after a single extraction step.

Main Results:

  • Mycotoxins were detected in 6 out of 12 onion skin samples.
  • Quantifiable levels of deoxynivalenol, fumonisin B1, and fumonisin B2 were identified.
  • Detected concentrations included up to 3940 ng/g for fumonisin B1, 126-587 ng/g for deoxynivalenol, and 55-554 ng/g for fumonisin B2.

Conclusions:

  • The study indicates a potentially lower risk from mycotoxins during manual onion sorting compared to other exposures.
  • However, the identified mycotoxins suggest that the risk should not be entirely disregarded.
  • Mycotoxin presence necessitates inclusion in comprehensive occupational risk assessments for onion handling.
Keywords:
MycotoxinsOccupational exposureOnionsRisk assessment

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