Mycotoxins in Foods: Mycotoxicoses, Detection, and Management

Abstract Mycotoxins are fungal metabolites that are toxic when consumed by animals or humans. Mycotoxins can accumulate in maize, sorghum, soybeans, groundnuts, cereals, and other food commodities and feed crops under the field conditions. In grains mycotoxins accumulate during the transportation and during improper storage, which may be favorable for the growth of the mycotoxin-producing fungi. Diseases resulting from the consumption of mycotoxins range from loss of appetite, feed refusal, unthriftiness, and decreased feed efficiency to cancer (liver cirrhosis) and mortality in domestic animals. In human populations, mycotoxins are often found in developing countries where storage facilities are very poor and storage conditions do not keep grains at low moisture content. Three mycotoxins account for 99% of the diagnosed animal mycotoxicoses, namely, aflatoxin, deoxynivalenol, and zearalenone. Three genera of fungi— Aspergillus, Penicillium , and Fusarium —are involved most frequently in cases of mycotoxin contamination in corn, small grains, and soybeans. Deoxynivalenol and zearalenone often coexist in corn with Fusarium graminearum . Mycotoxins are commonly detected and quantified in food using chromatographic techniques, antibody-based assays, and DNA-based methodologies for specific mycotoxigenic fungi. A number of commercial ELISA kits are available for aflatoxins, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, ochratoxins, and fumonisins. Management of mycotoxins in various crops under natural conditions involves practices that are employed preharvest, during harvest, and postharvest. Postharvest management can include not only the practices directed at reducing mycotoxins levels, but also the management of mycotoxin-related risk by directing contaminated products to less sensitive uses, or controlling its use through regulation. Monitoring or surveillance of mycotoxins levels in crops and products is an important management tactic and it can be implemented in preharvest and postharvest conditions.