Mass Spectrometry-based Detection of Mycotoxins in Imported Meat and their Perspective Role on Myocardial Apoptosis

Background: Fungal mycotoxins are the secondary metabolities and are harmful to plants, animals, and humans. Common aflatoxins are present and isolated from feeds and food comprises aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2. Public health threats or risk of foodborne disease posed by mycotoxins, especially the export or import of such meat products are of primary concern. This study aims to determine the concentration of the level of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2 M1, and M2 respectively in imported burger meat. Methods: The present work is designed to select and collect the various samples of meat products from different sources and subjected to mycotoxin analysis by LCMS/MS. Random selection was made on sites of burger meat was found to be on sale. Results: Simultaneous presence of several mycotoxins in the same sample of imported meat under the set conditions of LCMS/MS detected 26% (18 samples) was positive for various mycotoxins. The most frequent mycotoxins proportion in the analyzed samples was aflatoxin B1 (50%) followed by aflatoxin G1 (44%), aflatoxin G2 (38.8%), aflatoxin B2 (33%) respectively which were least among all with 16.66 and 11.11%. Discussion: A positive correlation is deduced between CVD and mycotoxin present in burger meat. Isolated mycotoxins initiate death receptor-mediated apoptosis, death receptor-mediated necrosis, mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis, mitochondrial-mediated necrosis, and immunogenic cell deaths through various pathways that can damage the cardiac tissues. Conclusion: The presence of these toxins in such samples is just the tip of the iceberg. Further investigation is necessary for complete clarifications of toxins on human health especially on CVD and other related metabolic complications.