Are Treated Celiac Patients at Risk for Mycotoxins? An Italian Case-Study
Martina Cirlini,
Teresa Mazzeo,
Leda Roncoroni,
Vincenza Lombardo,
Luca Elli,
Maria T. Bardella,
Carlo Agostoni,
Luisa Doneda,
Furio Brighenti,
Chiara Dall’Asta,
Nicoletta Pellegrini
Affiliations
Martina Cirlini
Department of Food Science, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze, 49/A, Parma 43124, Italy
Teresa Mazzeo
Department of Food Science, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze, 49/A, Parma 43124, Italy
Leda Roncoroni
Center for Prevention and Diagnosis of Celiac Disease, Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan 20122, Italy
Vincenza Lombardo
Center for Prevention and Diagnosis of Celiac Disease, Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan 20122, Italy
Luca Elli
Center for Prevention and Diagnosis of Celiac Disease, Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan 20122, Italy
Maria T. Bardella
Center for Prevention and Diagnosis of Celiac Disease, Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Unit, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan 20122, Italy
Carlo Agostoni
Intermediate Pediatric Care Unit, IRCCS Ca’ Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan 20122, Italy
Luisa Doneda
Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Milan 20122, Italy
Furio Brighenti
Department of Food Science, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze, 49/A, Parma 43124, Italy
Chiara Dall’Asta
Department of Food Science, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze, 49/A, Parma 43124, Italy
Nicoletta Pellegrini
Department of Food Science, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze, 49/A, Parma 43124, Italy
Urinary biomarkers of mycotoxin exposure were evaluated in a group of celiac patients (n = 55) and in a control group of healthy subjects (n = 50) following their habitual diet. Deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEN), and fumonisin B1 (FB1) were monitored in 105 urinary samples collected from the two groups. Dietary habits were also recorded through compilation of a seven-day weighed dietary diary. Biomarkers of mycotoxin exposure were detected in 21 celiac patients and in 15 control subjects, corresponding to about 34% of total participants. In particular, ZEN was the most detected mycotoxin among all the studied subjects with a total of 19 positive cases. Results did not show a statistically significant difference in mycotoxin exposure between the two groups, and the presence of specific mycotoxins was not related to the intake of any particular food category. Our findings suggest little urgency of specific regulation for gluten free products, although the prevalence of exposure observed in free-living diets of both celiac and healthy subjects underlines the need of a constant surveillance on mycotoxins occurrence at large.
