Recent developments and applications of hyperspectral imaging for rapid detection of mycotoxins and mycotoxigenic fungi in food products

Authors: XING, FUGUO - Chinese Academy Of Agricultural Sciences; YAO, HAIBO - Mississippi State University; LIU, YANG - Chinese Academy Of Agricultural Sciences; DAI, XIAOFENG - Chinese Academy Of Agricultural Sciences; Brown, Robert; Bhatnagar, Deepak

Submitted to: Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/28/2017
Publication Date: 10/16/2017
Citation: Xing, F., Yao, H., Liu, Y., Dai, X., Brown, R.L., Bhatnagar, D. 2017. Recent developments and applications of hyperspectral imaging for rapid detection of mycotoxins and mycotoxigenic fungi in food products. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 59(1):173-180. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2017.1363709.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2017.1363709

Interpretive Summary: Mycotoxins are naturally occurring contaminants of food and feedstuff such as corn, cotton seed, peanuts, treenuts, and wheat etc. They are mainly produced by many fungi of the Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillium genera, and are considered highly toxic and carcinogenic to humans and animals. It is desirable to develop rapid, non-destructive and efficient methods to objectively measure and evaluate mycotoxins and toxigenic fungi for food. In recent years, some spectral-based technologies such as hyperspectral imaging, Raman spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) have been extensively investigated as potential tools for the detection, classification, and sorting of mycotoxins and toxigenic fungal contamination in food. Hyperspectral imaging, for example, integrates both spatial and spectral information for every pixel in an image, making it suitable for rapid detection with large quantities and more heterogeneous samples. In order to track the latest research development of these technologies, the present paper gives a brief overview of the theories and fundamentals behind these technologies and discusses their applications in the field of rapid detection of mycotoxins and toxigenic fungi in food.

Technical Abstract: Mycotoxins are the foremost naturally occurring contaminants of food and feedstuff such as corn, cotton seed, peanuts, treenuts, and wheat etc. These secondary metabolites are mainly synthesized by many fungi of the Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillium genera, and are considered highly toxic and carcinogenic to humans and animals. Most mycotoxins and mycotoxigenic fungi are detected and quantified by analytical chemistry-based methods, which are time consuming, laborious, costly, and associated with inconsistency due to variability in the grain sampling process. It is desirable to develop rapid, non-destructive and efficient methods to objectively measure and evaluate mycotoxins and mycotoxigenic fungi for food. In recent years, some spectral-based technologies such as hyperspectral imaging, Raman spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) have been extensively investigated as potential tools for the detection, classification, and sorting of mycotoxins and toxigenic fungal contamination in food. Hyperspectral imaging, for example, integrates both spatial and spectral information for every pixel in an image, making it suitable for rapid detection with large quantities and more heterogeneous samples. In order to track the latest research development of these technologies, the present paper gives a brief overview of the theories and fundamentals behind these technologies and discusses their applications in the field of rapid detection of mycotoxins and toxigenic fungi in food. Additionally, advantages and disadvantages of these technologies are compared, and potential for their use in commercial application is reported.