Future scope of Japanese Association of Mycotoxicology (2002 Japanese Association of Mycotoxicology Award)

Abstract

Italy and the United States. Some lots of the imported rice grains were colored in yellow by growing various species of fungi belonging to the genus Penicillium. From the numerous species, the toxic metabolites were isolated: hepatotoxins (luteoskyrin and cyclochlorotin from P. islandicum; rugulosin from P. rugulosum and P. tardum), nephrotoxin (citrinin from P. citrinum), neurotoxin (citreoviridin from P. citreo-viride), as reviewed 1) Because primary liver cancer was the most prominent human disease in Asian countries in those days, and hepatic injuries characterized by cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma were experimentally induced in rodents fed rice grains artificially molded with P. islandicum and purified yellow pigment, luteoskyrin (LS), the rice grains contaminated with hepatocarcinogenic mycotoxins were suspected as the risk factor for primary liver cancer in the endemic area. After joint researches consisting of the authorities on mycology, food hygiene, toxicology, chemistry and pathology, the . Based on such scientific background and relationship among the researches from various different fields, the Japanese Association of Mycotoxicology was organized in September 4, 1974 under the first president Prof. Saito M. (Tokyo University). This association was aimed to exchange current information and technology on fungal toxins to minimize the human and livestock health hazards. Important and characteristics of this association is to carried-out the collaborative researches among different fields such as mycology, toxicology, pathology, chemistry, veterinary, food hygiene and others.