Paprika is susceptible to contamination by naturally occurring mycotoxins and economically motivated adulteration with illegal synthetic dyes, posing potential food safety concerns. This study investigated the occurrence of four aflatoxins (AFs), ochratoxin A (OTA), and 13 unauthorised synthetic dyes in 105 unbranded bulk paprika samples collected from retail spice shops in Türkiye using validated HPLC-FLD and LC-MS/MS methods. AFB1 was the predominant mycotoxin, detected in 70.5% of samples, whereas OTA occurred in 26.7%. Regulatory exceedances for AFB1 were limited, and no sample exceeded the European Union maximum level for OTA. Among the prohibited dyes analysed, Sudan I and Sudan IV were detected in 5.7% and 1% of samples, respectively. Under the upper-bound scenario, deterministic margin of exposure (MOE) values were 38,531 for AFB1 and 1,578,678 for OTA. The probabilistic assessment yielded 5th percentile MOE values of 10,535 and 377,691 for AFB1 and OTA, respectively. All reported MOE values exceeding the reference threshold of 10,000. These findings suggest a low level of public health concern for dietary exposure to AFs and OTA through paprika consumption, while highlighting the need for continued monitoring of mycotoxins and illegal dyes to ensure food safety and product authenticity.
Seafood is a vital global resource, providing protein and essential nutrients to millions. However, ambiguous labelling practices, including the use of umbrella terms, can obscure origin and species composition. Such practices can conceal the trade of threatened species, undermining fisheries management and consumers ability to make informed choices. Like other generic names used internationally (e.g., ‘cação’, ‘rock salmon’), shark meat in Australia is commonly sold under the umbrella label of flake, with no mandatory regulations defining which species can be traded under this label. To identify mislabelling and assess the mix of different products, we used DNA barcoding of the Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) to identify the species sold as flake across the entire supply chain (from fishers and wholesalers to fresh seafood and takeaway shops) in Southeast Australia. Sampling across different seasons also allowed insights into potential links to local fisheries. Of 423 samples sequenced successfully, 144 were identified to species level, and 279 to genus level, representing a total of 16 species and 12 genera. School shark Galeorhinus galeus, a critically endangered species, made up 20 % of identifications, with other notable species including smooth hammerhead and bull shark. Species composition varied across supply chain nodes with some species such as Elephantfish Callorhinchus sp. detected only in take-away products but no other supply chain nodes, which may suggest additional sources at later distribution stages. Overall, these findings highlight that ambiguity in umbrella labelling is widespread and increases towards the consumer end of the supply chain, underscoring the need for improved transparency and labelling.
