Affiliation:
1. Department of Biosciences, Teikyo University, 1-1 Toyosatodai, Utsunomiya 320-8551, Japan
Abstract
The seeds of lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) have been used as significant medicinal and nutritional ingredients worldwide. The abundant proteins and polysaccharides in lotus seeds make them susceptible to contamination by aflatoxin (AF), a fungal toxic metabolite. This study was conducted to investigate the susceptibility of lotus seeds at different stages of ripening to AF contamination, as well as the mechanism of the contamination. Seven groups of lotus receptacles with seeds at different ripening stages (A–G, from immature to mature) were used for the experiment. Spores of Aspergillus flavus, an AF producer, were inoculated on the water-gap area of the seeds in each receptacle. Then, each receptacle was covered with a sterilized bag, and its stalk part was soaked in water containing a life-prolonging agent, after which it was kept at room temperature for 14 days. The AF content of each whole inoculated seed from the A–G groups and that of each seed part (pericarp, cotyledon, and embryo) from the D and E groups were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography. Microtome sections were prepared from the samples and observed under a light microscope and scanning electron microscope. The seeds from the A and D groups had higher AF contents than the seeds from the B, C, E, F, and G groups, indicating that the condition of the water-gap area and the development of the embryo and cotyledon parts of the seeds are associated with AF contamination.
Funder
Tsumura & Co., Tokyo, Japan
Subject
Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis,Toxicology
Reference34 articles.
1. Nutritional composition, physiological functions and processing of lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) seeds: A review;Zhang;Phytochem. Rev.,2015
2. A comprehensive review on lotus seeds (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.): Nutritional composition, health-related bioactive properties, and industrial applications;Bangar;J. Funct. Foods,2022
3. Simultaneous determination of 19 mycotoxins in lotus seed using a multimycotoxin UFLC-MS/MS method;Wei;J. Pharm. Pharmacol.,2019
4. Physico chemical and functional properties of lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) Seed;Ashoka;Mysore J. Agric. Sci.,2022
5. A review on extraction, composition, structure, and biological activities of polysaccharides from different parts of Nelumbo nucifera;Kakar;Food Sci Nutr.,2023