Thermophilic Fungi to Dominate Aflatoxigenic/Mycotoxigenic Fungi on Food under Global Warming

Abstract

Certain filamentous fungi produce mycotoxins that contaminate food. Mycotoxin contamination of crops is highly influenced by environmental conditions and is already affected by global warming, where there is a succession of mycotoxigenic fungi towards those that have higher optimal growth temperatures. Aflatoxigenic fungi are at the highest limit of temperature although predicted increases in temperature are beyond that constraint. The present paper discusses what will succeed these fungi and represents the first such consideration. Aflatoxins are the most important mycotoxins and are common in tropical produce, much of which is exported to temperate regions. Hot countries may produce safer food under climate change because aflatoxigenic fungi will be inhibited. The same situation will occur in previously temperate regions where these fungi have recently appeared, although decades later. Existing thermotolerant and thermophilic fungi (TTF) will dominate, in contrast to the conventional mycotoxigenic fungi adapting or mutating, as it will be quicker. TTF produce a range of secondary metabolites, or potential mycotoxins and patulin which may become a new threat. In addition, Aspergillus fumigatus will appear more frequently, a serious human pathogen, because it is (a) thermotolerant and (b) present on crops: hence this is an even greater problem. An incubation temperature of 41 °C needs employing forthwith to detect TTF. Finally, TTF in crops requires study because of the potential for diseases in humans and animals under climate change.

Potential Application of Lactic Acid Bacteria to Reduce Aflatoxin B1 and Fumonisin B1 Occurrence on Corn Kernels and Corn Ears

“…Several factors can influence the presence of mycotoxin in foods and feed such as fungal strain specificity, fungal strain variation, and toxin stability [14][15][16]. However, its occurrence is closely related to environmental conditions favorable to fungal growth, in particular, a hot and humid climate, i.e., mycotoxins are most frequent in tropical areas but they can also be found in a temperate climate [17,18]. Besides that, the mycotoxin contamination may also occur at various stages of the food production chain, e.g., in the storage, in the field, during harvest, processing, and distribution [19].…”

The occurrence and co-occurrence of aflatoxin and fumonisin along the maize value chain in southwest Nigeria

“…Aflatoxins and fumonisins are two major groups of mycotoxins produced by the Aspergillus and Fusarium genera of fungi respectively. These naturally occurring toxins frequently contaminate maize, mainly in countries with high temperature and humidity (Paterson and Lima 2017). Several studies have demonstrated these mycotoxins as potential risk to human and animal health (Wu et al 2014).…”

Filamentous Fungal Human Pathogens from Food Emphasising Aspergillus, Fusarium and Mucor

“…Paterson and Lima [44] considered the effect of global warming on the presence of fungi on food and considered that thermotolerant and thermophilic fungi may dominate by succession over mesophilic fungi. A. fumigatus was considered the greatest risk from this perspective.…”