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- Title
Major Mycotoxins in Food; Hazards, Formation and Prevention Methods.
- Authors
Aghaee, Ebrahim Molaee; Khaniki, Gholamreza Jahed; gharagheshlagi, Hadi Eghbaljou; raziabad, Reza hazrati; karami, Marziye
- Abstract
Introduction: Mycotoxins are a group of toxic metabolites produced by some fungal species, most of which include Aspergillus, Penicillium and Fusarium spp. Mycotoxins cause serious health risks both for human and livestock, including different types of cancers, neurological disorders, liver disorders, teratogenic effects, and immune system insufficiency. Environmental conditions and moisture content are the major factors affecting the formation of mycotoxins. Formation of these compounds must be prevented, because of their potential risks, as well as the widespread occurrence in food. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive literature review in different databases and sources such as recent published articles and reference books was conducted with the related keywords. Result: The findings of our searches indicate that these compounds can be present in various foods such as milk, nuts, bread, cereals, rice, dried fruits, juices, meat products, etc. In addition to poisoning through contaminated food, poisoning through breathing and contact with the skin is possible too. The prevalent mycotoxins include a variety of aflatoxins, ergot alkaloid, fumonisin, ochratoxin, patulin, trichothecene and zearalenone. Among mycotoxins, aflatoxins excreted from Aspergillus species are more important for carcinogenicity than other types. They are divided into four types B1, B2, G1 and G2 in which B1 is more toxic and causes liver cancer. Furthermore, M1 and M2 are the secondary types formed in milk and dairy products. Production of mycotoxins is common in foods with high moisture content and high water activity, thus to control their formation, the moisture content of the food should be restricted to certain critical levels. Another affecting factor is temperature. The mycotoxin production is usually significant at 25 to 30C while, at 8 to 10C it is lower and takes longer to produce. The oxygen concentration, pH, nutritional value and microbial interactions are also factors influencing the formation of these toxins. Conclusion: By precise control of the factors discussed above, during harvesting, preparation and storage of food products, it is possible to largely prevent the formation of these mycotoxins.
- Subjects
IRAN; FOOD contamination prevention; CONFERENCES &; conventions; MYCOTOXINS
- Publication
Current Medical Mycology, 2018, Vol 4, p179
- ISSN
2423-3439
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.18502/cmm.4.S1.2018.180