摘要：Graphical abstractDisplay OmittedHighlights•Mycotoxin excretion patterns were investigated the first 211 days after delivery.•Low chronic mycotoxin background contamination revealed (ng/L range)•Similar inter-individual breast milk mycotoxin levels.•Exposure estimates on average below 1 ng/kg bw for all detected toxins.AbstractEarly-life development of infants may be critically affected by man-made or natural contaminants including mycotoxins. However, data on the occurrence of food contaminants in breast milk is scarce and prohibits a comprehensive exposure and risk assessment for mothers and their infants.Here, we present a longitudinal exposure assessment over the first 211 days of a single newborn girl (studyA) by measuring multiple mycotoxins in milk. Eighty-seven consecutive breast milk samples were obtained from the newborn’s mother living in Austria and following a regular mixed diet. Mycotoxins were analyzed by utilizing a highly sensitive LC-MS/MS approach covering 29mycotoxins and key metabolites. In addition to this longitudinal study, three mothers provided breast milk samples each on five consecutive days, for a preliminary comparison of inter-day and inter-individual variation in exposures (studyB). StudyA revealed that mycotoxin occurrence in breast milk was limited to the emerging mycotoxins alternariol monomethyl ether (AME), beauvericin (BEA), enniatins (A, A1, B, B1) and to ochratoxin A (OTA), which is regulated in commercial infant food. These mycotoxins were, if present, mostly detected at very low concentrations (Our preliminary findings suggest that recommended maximum daily intake levels might not be exceeded in the Austrian population. However, exposure is likely to be higher in populations with lower food safety standards. In the light of co-occurrence of several emerging mycotoxins in breast milk, future studies should address low-dose mixture effects. This also includes other environmental contaminants which may be present in this bio-fluid and should involve an exposome-scale risk assessment. All these efforts must be intended to minimize exposure of mothers and infants in a window of high susceptibility.
