How are mycotoxins classified?
Clinicians often arrange them by the organ they affect. Thus, mycotoxins can be classified as hepatotoxins, nephrotoxins, neurotoxins, immunotoxins, and so forth. Cell biologists put them into generic groups such as teratogens, mutagens, carcinogens, and allergens.
What is an example of a mycotoxin?
Examples of mycotoxins of greatest public health and agro-economic significance include aflatoxins (AF), ochratoxins (OT), trichothecenes, zearalenone (ZEN), fumonisins (F), tremorgenic toxins, and ergot alkaloids. Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a secondary metabolite produced by several species of Aspergillus and Penicillium.
How many types of mycotoxin are there?
Several hundred different mycotoxins have been identified, but the most commonly observed mycotoxins that present a concern to human health and livestock include aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, patulin, fumonisins, zearalenone and nivalenol/deoxynivalenol.
What Mold produces mycotoxins?
Aspergillus
While a type of mold may form more than one mycotoxin, a mycotoxin can be synthesized by many molds. The most common types of mold which are known to produce mycotoxins are Aspergillus , Penicillium , Fusarium , and Alternaria [10].
What is the difference between mycotoxins and aflatoxins?
The key difference between aflatoxin and mycotoxin is that aflatoxin is a type of poisonous mycotoxin produced by Aspergillus species, while mycotoxin is a secondary metabolite produced by fungi that are capable of causing diseases and death in humans and other animals. These fungi grow on food and secrete mycotoxins.
Is Penicillin a mycotoxin?
Mycotoxins. Mycotoxins, the low molecular mass (MW ~700 Da) secondary metabolites mainly produced by Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium are highly noxious substances on animals and humans. However, not all mycotoxin are classified as such, for example, Penicillin, is widely used an antibiotic (Speight, 2012).
What do mycotoxins look like?
It is estimated that 25% of the world’s agriculture is contaminated with mycotoxins, often from aspergillus molds (3). These molds are often black on the surface and white-ish or yellow underneath. The most common mycotoxins found in food are aflotoxins, which are associated with aspergillus molds.
Are mycotoxins airborne?
Toxins from household fungi can easily become airborne and cause health problems, a new study has found. “Thus, mycotoxins can be inhaled and should be investigated as parameters of indoor air quality, especially in homes with visible fungal contamination.”
Are mycotoxins a biological hazard?
Chemical contaminants cover a broad range of contaminants, including naturally occurring components of certain food ingredients (e.g., glucosinolates), toxins produced by microorganisms found in the environment (e.g., mycotoxins), pesticides, and industrial chemicals.
How do I get rid of mycotoxins?
Killing Mycotoxins
- Sodium Hypochlorite has been found to kill trichothecene and other mycotoxins.
- Extreme heat (fire at 500°F for half-hour) can destroy trichothecene mycotoxins.
- Ozone can kill most mycotoxins, but the level needed is not safe for humans.
Which is the best definition of mycotoxin?
Definition of mycotoxin : a toxic substance produced by a fungus and especially a mold : a poisonous substance produced by a fungus and especially a mold — see aflatoxin
How are mycotoxins harmful to animals and humans?
Some of the health effects found in animals and humans include death, identifiable diseases or health problems, weakened immune systems without specificity to a toxin, and as allergens or irritants. Some mycotoxins are harmful to other micro-organisms such as other fungi or even bacteria; penicillin is one example.
How are mycotoxins spread from person to person?
Exposure to mycotoxins can happen either directly by eating infected food or indirectly from animals that are fed contaminated feed, in particular from milk. The effects of some food-borne mycotoxins are acute with symptoms of severe illness appearing quickly after consumption of food products contaminated with mycotoxins.
What foods can cause the production of mycotoxins?
What are mycotoxins? Mycotoxins are toxic compounds that are naturally produced by certain types of moulds (fungi). Moulds that can produce mycotoxins grow on numerous foodstuffs such as cereals, dried fruits, nuts and spices.