Irene Teixido
The future of mycotoxin research

I knew from the first class of my undergraduate degree in food technology that I wanted to pursue research in this field, although initially, I was not clear about what area to specialize in.

It was a professor during my undergraduate studies, who later became one of my thesis directors, who sparked my interest in studying mycotoxins and food safety.

During this project, I worked with an exceptional postdoctoral researcher who not only guided me technically but also transmitted her passion for the subject.

That experience deeply motivated me and led me to officially start my predoctoral research focused on mycotoxins in oats.

Is there any specific moment or discovery that has marked a before and after in your research career?

Undoubtedly, the moment that most marked my research career was my predoctoral stay at Cranfield University.

Researching outside my country not only allowed me to grow as a person but was also key to my development as a scientist.

During this period, I learned to use new advanced techniques such as LC-MS/ MS and Vis-NIR spectroscopy.

One of the most significant discoveries I made during this stay was that mycotoxin contamination in oat lots depends almost exclusively on a small percentage of grains (approximately 10 %) that have extremely high levels of mycotoxins produced by Fusarium.

This heterogeneity, which until then had not been investigated, raises new opportunities for:

• Developing technologies to identify and eliminate these grains.
  
• Optimizing sampling techniques.

Could you briefly describe your current lines of research in the field of mycotoxins?

My current research is aimed at developing effective strategies to mitigate mycotoxins produced by Fusarium in oats and their by-products.

One of the main approaches is the use of advanced spectroscopic techniques to reduce the concentration of these toxins in a non-invasive way, which may be a promising tool for the food industry.

In addition, I am studying the impact of processing on mycotoxin content in various oat-based foods, exploring whether these processes contribute to their removal, transformation, or persistence.

Finally, I am analyzing how contamination heterogeneity within oat grains affects sampling and analytical strategies, with the goal of improving the accuracy and reliability of detection methods.

What do you consider to be the main challenges in the study of mycotoxins today?

Currently, the study of mycotoxins faces several major challenges.

One of them is the rise of emerging mycotoxins, which represent a potential threat to food safety, but which are not yet sufficiently characterized and regulated.

Another significant challenge is the development of more advanced analytical methods, particularly multi-mycotoxigenic techniques that allow simultaneous detection of multiple mycotoxins in complex food matrices with high sensitivity and specificity.

Furthermore, the transformation of mycotoxins during food processing raises important questions because, in order to ensure a proper risk assessment, it is essential to understand:

• If these toxins are degraded.
• If they are transformed into more or less toxic compounds.
• If they are released during processing.

What methodologies do you use in your research to detect and analyze mycotoxins in food?

For the detection and analysis of mycotoxins in food, I use a variety of advanced analytical methodologies, including:

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays such as ELISA, which allow rapid and specific detection.

Liquid chromatography methods coupled to
different detectors, such as HPLC-DAD and HPLC-FLD, which are effective to identify and quantify mycotoxins with high resolution.

More advanced technologies such as LC-MS/ MS and UHPLC-MS/MS, which offer greater sensitivity and specificity and are ideal for analysis in complex matrices.

State-of-the-art systems such as LC-QOrbitrap- MS/MS,which, in addition to its ability to identify and quantify compounds with high precision and resolution, is particularly valuable for non-targeted approaches, allowing the detection and identification of new mycotoxins or unknown metabolites.

Have you incorporated emerging technologies in your studies? Which ones and how have they impacted your research?

Yes, I have integrated near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) with hyperspectral imaging, an innovative technology that makes it possible to analyze oat grains as if they were a camera “photographing” their chemical composition.

Through multivariate statistics, we have been able to predict the content of certain mycotoxins, such as deoxynivalenol (DON), T-2 and HT-2 toxins in oat samples.

This technique could complement traditional methods, which are slower and more expensive, and could have great potential in industrial applications.

It could be used to remove individual grains with critical mycotoxin concentrations from production lines, optimizing quality control and reducing overall lot contamination.

In your opinion, what are the main challenges the food industry faces regarding mycotoxins and how do you think research can help overcome them?

One of the main challenges faced by the food industry in relation to mycotoxins is heterogeneous contamination in cereals, as a small fraction of grains is often highly contaminated, complicating sampling and accurate identification of contamination.

In addition, climate change may increase the frequency and diversity of mycotoxins, presenting new risks to food safety.

Research plays a key role in developing new, faster, more mycotoxin and more cost-effective detection technologies, such as spectroscopy or new multi-mycotoxin analysis methods, that can efficiently identify mycotoxins in various food matrices.

Finally, research into predictive models and new sampling strategies could improve control and traceability throughout the food chain.

What technological or methodological innovations do you consider could revolutionize the study of mycotoxins in the coming years?

One of the most promising innovations in the study of mycotoxins is the advance in non-targeted analysis technologies (such as Orbitrap), which allow the identification of a wide range of unknown or emerging mycotoxins.

The use of portable sensors and advanced spectroscopy techniques, such as NIR spectroscopy with hyperspectral imaging, could revolutionize quality control in industry, allowing in situ detection of mycotoxins in large volumes of raw materials.

In parallel, the development of predictive models based on Artificial Intelligence and Big Data can help predict patterns of mycotoxin contamination, improving risk management and traceability of food products.

How do you envision the future of food safety in relation to mycotoxin management and control?

I envision the future of food safety as an increasingly automated and interconnected environment, where advanced real-time detection technologies will be integrated along the entire food chain, from production to the final consumer.

Food industries will be able to use smart sensors and automated systems that allow them to instantly identify mycotoxins in raw materials and final products, minimizing contamination risks.

In addition, international cooperation will be essential to accelerate the updating of regulations, adapting them to new scientific findings and changes in food practices.

Over time, it will be possible to move towards a more proactive and less reactive food safety, better managing risks before they reach the consumer.

How do you integrate other scientific disciplines into your mycotoxin research and what are the benefits of this interdisciplinarity?

I integrate disciplines such as food science and technology, microbiology, analytical chemistry, statistics, physics, and food engineering to approach the mycotoxin problem from multiple angles.

For example, I use mass spectrometry and NIR spectroscopy to detect and mitigate mycotoxins in innovative and efficient ways, while food engineering and technology helps me study how industrial processes affect their concentration.

A significant part of your research has focused on mycotoxin mitigation strategies in oats and oat-based foods. Could you elaborate on the most significant findings of this study and their impact in the field?

One of the major findings has been that NIR with hyperspectral imaging can be a complementary technique to conventional analytical methods in oat samples to detect mycotoxins.

In addition, this equipment can be used to detect highly contaminated individual grains, which could significantly reduce the overall mycotoxin content by eliminating them from the production chain.

If we can avoid rejecting whole lots, we are contributing to the economy and sustainability of the food industry.

Remember that the contamination of oat lots that would have to be rejected by the industry according to European legislation for DON content, depends exclusively on 10 % of grains above this legal limit.

In addition, these grains also often contain other toxins such as 15-ADON, 3-ADON, DON-3G and ZEN.

This reinforces the importance of specific strategies to separate these grains.

As for processing, we have observed that:

• During the production of oat beverages, DON is transferred from the flour to the final product and its concentration depends on the enzymes used and the oat content in the formulation. In addition, processes such as sterilization are not effective in reducing this toxin.
• In the case of oat biscuits, not only are mycotoxins not reduced, but some mycotoxins such as ZEN and its metabolites are even released during processing, showing the need for greater control at these stages.

How does your mycotoxin research translate into practical applications that benefit the food industry or public health?

My research has a direct impact on both the food industry and public health.

For example, in the case of oat-based beverage processing, we have shown that mycotoxins present in the flour can be transferred to the final product.

⇒ This means that oat beverages, a growing consumer product, may contain mycotoxins, despite the fact that they currently have no maximum limits established in European legislation.

This finding highlights the need to update regulations to ensure the safety of these products and protect the consumer.

On the other hand, spectroscopy research as a mycotoxin detection tool has promising industrial applications.

This approach could be implemented in production lines to identify and eliminate highly contaminated grains in real time, significantly reducing contamination of the final batch.

Are you involved in any international collaborative projects? How do you think these collaborations enhance your research?

Yes, we are currently part of the European project FunShield4Med, in collaboration with Cranfield University, the University of Parma, ELGO-DIMITRA and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

This project addresses food safety challenges related to mycotoxins and fungi under the impact of climate change in the Mediterranean region.

This collaboration has been an invaluable experience, as it has allowed me to broaden my professional and personal horizons.

I have had the opportunity to travel, establish key international contacts and participate in conferences relevant to our field.

Moreover, it was partly thanks to this project that I completed my pre-doctoral stay at Cranfield University, where I acquired advanced knowledge and generated significant results for my research.

What projects or lines of research are you excited about for the near future?

As a food technologist, I am particularly interested in exploring the impact of oat-based food processing on the presence of mycotoxins.

I am also intrigued by the potential of other emerging technologies, such as electrical pulses or high pressures, to reduce the presence of mycotoxins in foods.

These areas of research could open new frontiers in food safety.

How do you perceive the evolution of international regulations regarding mycotoxins and what changes do you consider necessary to improve global food safety?

The main challenge I perceive in international mycotoxin regulations is their slow pace.

Changes in consumption habits and food innovations are advancing rapidly, as in the case of oat-based products – fermented beverages – which still lack established maximum limits for mycotoxins.

I believe it is crucial that international regulations be more closely linked to scientific advances, which are often more closely aligned with current needs.

This is also the case when new mycotoxins are discovered, the incorporation of which into legislation takes considerable time.

What advice would you give to young researchers who want to specialize in the study of mycotoxins or in the field of food science?

For me, one of the key factors in my development as a researcher has been the support of my thesis supervisors and my research group (as well as my family and friends).

Therefore, my main advice is to choose carefully the people with whom you will work during your doctoral training.

The quality of personal and professional relationships often outweighs the importance of the specific topic of the project.

Although it may seem like a cliché, if you are truly passionate about the field, you should not hesitate to pursue it. The motivation and enthusiasm that come from working on something you love are the most important drivers for success and personal fulfillment.

Scientific research can be demanding. How do you maintain a balance between your professional and personal life, and what motivates you to keep going in times of challenge?

I have faced difficult moments, largely due to my self-demanding nature and, at the beginning, for not knowing how to manage frustration and rejection. However, I have always tried to maintain a balance between my professional and personal life.

My parents taught me from an early age that life is a balance of multiple areas. Focusing on just one can make any setback have a much greater impact.

Therefore, I strive to cultivate my social life, play sports, travel, and spend time with my family and friends. This allows me to maintain a healthy and resilient outlook.

In the most challenging moments, what motivates me the most is teaching.

My students are a constant source of inspiration. The possibility of influencing positively their path and sharing the knowledge I have acquired with them is the driving force that pushes me to continue researching and overcoming obstacles.