Aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) with strong carcinogenic, teratogenic and mutagenic properties is mainly produced by Aspergillus flavus. Maize, due to its high moisture content, is prone to Aspergillus flavus growth and subsequent AFB₁. Both ultraviolet irradiation and cold plasma are non-thermal physical techniques with fungal inactivation and mycotoxin degradation capabilities. Ultraviolet combined with cold plasma technology can overcome the limitations of individual technologies, such as low penetration depth and inefficiency. However, there is little research on the effect of ultraviolet combined with cold plasma on degradation of AFB₁ in maize. Therefore, this article aims to explore the degradation efficacy, products and pathways of AFB₁, as well as effects on maize kernels quality treated by ultraviolet combined with cold plasma. AFB₁ standard was spiked onto glass dishes and maize kernels, respectively. The residual AFB₁ content was quantified after different ultraviolet combined with cold plasma treatment durations (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 min). Liquid-chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was employed to analyze the potential structure of degradation products and degradation pathways. A comparison was mad on the moisture content, fatty acid value, color parameters (L^*, a^*, b^* and △E value), starch gelatinization properties, starch content, protein content, surface seed coat microstructure, and cross-sectional microstructure of endosperm starch granules of maize kernels before and after ultraviolet combined with cold plasma treatment. A systematic investigation was implemented to explore the effect on the quality of maize kernels. The results showed that ultraviolet combined with cold plasma treatment effectively degraded AFB₁, with degradation rates increasing progressively with prolonged treatment time. On glass substrates, the degradation rate of AFB₁ reached 98.96% after 30 min treatment. For maize kernels, which required turning to expose both sides, the degradation rate was 39.40% after a total treatment time of 60 min (30 min per side). A slower degradation process was observed in the complex food matrix. LC-MS analysis identified 11 major degradation products. The peak areas of most degradation products initially increased and then decreased, indicating their further degradation. This trend was more pronounced for products 1-6 compared to products 7-11. The primary reaction sites involved the furan ring, methoxy group, lactone ring, and carbonyl group of AFB₁. Structural modifications occurred at known toxicogenic sites of AFB₁, suggesting a potential reduction in toxicity. However, further toxicological assessment was required. Degradation pathways were proposed, suggesting initial formation of six products (products 1-6) via substitution, addition, or demethylation reactions. Product 6 underwent furan ring cleavage to form an intermediate (C₁₆H₁₄O₇), which subsequently yielded products 7-11 through oxidation, demethylation, demethoxylation, and ring-opening reactions. Regarding maize quality, ultraviolet combined with cold plasma treatment caused a significant decrease (P<0.05) in moisture content and fatty acid value, which was actually of benefit to the long-term storage stability of maize kernels. Starch gelatinization properties were slightly altered, with breakdown value, peak viscosity, trough viscosity, and final viscosity all showing a trend of initially decreasing followed by an increase. Meanwhile, the setback value, pasting time, and pasting temperature remained largely unaffected (P>0.05). These phenomena did not cause quality of maize deterioration. Moreover, color, starch content (including amylose and amylopectin), protein content, and the microstructure of surface seed coat and endosperm starch granules showed no significant changes (P>0.05). Overall, ultraviolet combined with cold plasma treatment did not adversely affect quality of maize kernels. In conclusion, ultraviolet combined with cold plasma technology can effectively degrade AFB₁ while ensuring maize kernels do not exhibit significant deterioration in quality. The finding can provide a theoretical reference for the application of ultraviolet combined with cold plasma in the control and detoxification of AFB₁ in maize.

As a key waterproofing material used in the construction of ancient wooden ships, the organic components of the jointing material (caulking material) are crucial for maintaining the water tightness of the hull. In order to identify the organic components of the caulking material used in the “NanhaiI” shipwreck, dating from the Southern Song Dynasty, a comparative analysis was conducted between raw tung oil and modern tung oil-based caulking material using mass spectrometry. The results indicate that the specific free fatty acids and oxidation products of unsaturated fatty acids in tung oil can serve as markers for the identification of tung oil in caulking materials. Further, the caulking material samples from the “NanhaiI” shipwreck were analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF/MS). Five specific fatty acids, namely α-tung acid, linoleic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid and stearic acid, as well as the oxidation products of unsaturated fatty acids (α-tung acid, linoleic acid and oleic acid) were successfully identified. The results show that the organic component of the caulking material used in the “NanhaiI” shipwreck is tung oil. This discovery not only provides an important reference for the study of ancient shipbuilding techniques but also offers a scientific basis for the protection and restoration of sunken ships.

Due to the lack of detection methods, mass spectral databases and reference standards, identifying migrating substances from food contact materials (FCMs) that have wide variations in migration concentrations, high varietal diversity, and complex structures, and come from a wide range of sources remains a challenge in the field of FCMs safety evaluation. In recent years, high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), with high sensitivity, resolution, and accuracy, has been widely applied for screening migrating substances from FCMs, providing robust technical support to tackle the aforementioned challenge, and has gradually become a major approach for the screening and detection of migrating substances from FCMs. This article provides a comprehensive review of the progress on HRMS in the screening of migrating substances from FCMs over the past five years (2019–2024). First, the fundamental principle and classification of HRMS are introduced. This review focuses on the state of the art in the application of HRMS for the screening of migrating substances in FCMs. Additionally, it presents the challenges facing this field. Finally, we provide an outlook on future developments. Through this review, we aim to provide valuable insights for researchers and practitioners in the field of food safety and to promote the application and development of HRMS in this field.