Fungi and mycotoxins: Food contaminants

Abstract

The growth of fungi on food causes physical and chemical changes which, further affect negatively the sensory and nutritive quality of food. Species from genera: Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, Alternariа, Cladosporium, Mucor, Rhizopus, Eurotium and Emericella are usually found. Some of them are potentially dangerous for humans and animals, due to possible synthesis and excretion of toxic secondary metabolites - mycotoxins into the food. Their toxic syndroms in animals and humans are known as mycotoxicoses. The pathologic changes can be observed in parenhimatic organs, and in bones and central nervous system also. Specific conditions are necessary for mycotoxin producing fungi to synthetize sufficient quantities of these compounds for demonstration of biologic effects. The main biochemical paths in the formation of mycotoxins include the polyketide (aflatoxins, sterigmatocystin, zearalenone, citrinine, patulin), terpenic (trichothecenes), aminoacid (glicotoxins, ergotamines, sporidesmin, malformin C), and carbonic acids path (rubratoxins). Aflatoxins are the most toxigenic metabolites of fungi, produced mostly by Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus species. Aflatoxins appear more frequently in food in the tropic and subtropic regions, while the food in Europe is more exposed to also very toxic ochratoxin A producing fungi (A. ochraceus and some Penicillium species). The agricultural products can be contaminated by fungi both before and after the harvest. The primary mycotoxicoses in humans are the result of direct intake of vegetable products contaminated by mycotoxins, while the secondary mycotoxicoses are caused by products of animal origin. The risk of the presence of fungi and mycotoxin in food is increasing, having in mind that some of them are highly thermoresistent, and the temperatures of usual food sterilization is not sufficient for their termination. The paper presents the review of most important mycotoxins, their biologic effects, the condition of their synthesis, occurence in food, permitted tolerant intake, as well as the possibility of their degradation. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. TR 31017

Mycotoxin control in Republic of Serbia and European Union from the aspect of the legislation

“…Danas je poznato nekoliko stotina mikotoksina, međutim samo za neke je dokazano i potvrđeno toksično, teratogeno, mutageno i karcinogeno delovanje. Većinu mikotoksina od značaja po zdravlje ljudi i životinja produkuju plesni iz rodova Aspergillus, Penicillium i Fusarium i to su mikotoksini iz grupe aflatoksina, ohratoksina, trihotecena, fumonizina, zearalenon, citrinin i patulin [1]. Internacionalna agencija za istraživanje kancera, International Agency for Research in Cancer (IARC) je klasifikovala aflatoksine kao karcinogene za ljude, dok su ohratoksin A i fumonizini klasifikovani kao mogući karcinogeni [2].…”

Changes in Fusarium and Aspergillus Mycotoxin Content and Fatty Acid Composition after the Application of Ozone in Different Maize Hybrids

“…According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates, more than 25% of the world’s cereal production is contaminated with mycotoxins [ 5 ]. They are quite stable and almost impossible to eliminate from the contaminated material during food processing [ 6 ]. Mycotoxin occurrence and concentration mainly depend on growing conditions during the sensitive phases of plant development, hybrid susceptibility, and insect damages.…”

Effect of water activity on the growth of fungi isolated from „muesli“ components

“…An increased proportion of plant products in the total diet, containing less fat and more high-value ingredients, stands out as a goal of a healthy lifestyle, but it should be borne in mind that they are often exposed to attacks by fungi, more often than bacteria. In addition to spoilage causers, there can be species which by secretion of secondary metabolites of mycotoxins (1,2) in food can cause illness in humans, sometimes with very serious consequences. Mycotoxins like aflatoxins and ochratoxin A are known for their high heat resistance and cumulative effect when they have been taken in by humans and animals over a long period.…”