Food safety using NMR-based metabolomics: Assessment of the Atlantic bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus, from the Mediterranean Sea. (May 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cappello, Tiziana; Giannetto, Alessia; Parrino, Vincenzo; De Marco, Giuseppe; Mauceri, Angela; Maisano, Maria
• Is Part Of: Food and chemical toxicology. Volume 115(2018)
• Page Start: 391
• Page End: 397
• Publication Date: 2018-05
• Subjects: Food safety -- Mediterranean sea -- Pelagic fish -- Bluefin tuna -- NMR-Based metabolomics -- Metabolic pathways; Toxicology -- Periodicals; Food poisoning -- Periodicals; Food Poisoning -- Periodicals; Toxicology -- Periodicals; Toxicologie -- Périodiques; Intoxications alimentaires -- Périodiques; Food poisoning; Toxicology; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 615.9
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2018.03.038
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0278-6915

Abstract

Abstract: Seafood is a valuable component of human diet because of its nutritional properties. The Atlantic bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus is a scombroid fish highly appreciated as seafood worldwide. Being a top pelagic predator, concerns have been raised over human health risks due to its consumption. Therefore, herein it was comprehensively evaluated the health status and potential metabolite shifts between sexes of bluefin tuna from the Mediterranean Sea, proved to bioaccumulate environmental obesogens, namely polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) at hepatic level. To this aim, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics was applied on liver of post-spawning tuna. Findings from this study pointed out that hepatic bioaccumulation of PCBs and OCPs induced differential metabolic disturbances between sexes, attributable to the reproductive stage at which tuna were caught. Alterations were mainly found in energy-producing metabolic pathways (with changes in acetate, acetoacetate, malonate, and lactate), amino acid (with changes in BCAA, alanine, sarcosine, and tyrosine), and lipid (with changes in choline and phosphocholine) metabolism, with activation of fatty acids biosynthesis and ketogenesis in male tuna. Overall, according to the current European legislation on maximum levels of contaminants in seafood, the consumption of bluefin tuna does not represent a risk for human health. Highlights: The health status of bluefin tuna from Mediterranean Sea was assessed by metabolomics. Differential metabolic disturbances were found between female and male tuna liver. Metabolite alterations were mainly found in energy, amino acid and lipid metabolism. Activation of fatty acids biosynthesis and ketogenesis was detected in male tuna. Consumption of bluefin tuna does not represent a risk for human health.