FFoQSI - Multi Contaminant Detection

The project aims to monitor and systematically analyze the effects of climate change on the (co-)occurrence of plant and fungal toxins in food and feed crops. In collaboration with the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), a comprehensive monitoring plan will be developed to assess the impact of climate change across regions such as France, Italy, Austria, Scandinavia, and Latin America. A key focus is the collection of new data on the distribution of phytoestrogens and (emerging) mycotoxins in Latin America to enable improved risk assessments. In parallel, a rapid and precise UPLC-MS/MS method will be optimized and validated, allowing the analysis of over 1,000 analytes in various crop samples provided by project partners such as DSM and Barilla. The project will generate accurate and expanded data on phytoestrogens and secondary fungal metabolites, including fusaproliferin, and will investigate alternative raw materials and protein sources. A particular emphasis is placed on studying the displacement of Fusarium graminearum by Fusarium proliferatum, which produces the teratogenic fusaproliferin. To support these studies, the LC-MS-based monitoring method will be expanded to include this emerging mycotoxin. The findings will contribute to evaluating the impact of climate change on food safety and enhancing the data foundation for effective monitoring and risk management strategies.