Check out what is new in Mycotoxins
Find the best technical articles, forums, and videos on Mycotoxins at Engormix. Enter now and interact with the world's largest agricultural social network.
1. Introduction Endophytes are a particularly interesting group of microorganisms that can be isolated from asymptomatic plant tissue. Among fungal endophytes, most species belong to the ascomycota and deuteromycota phyla and might be the producers of several groups of new, unique secondary metabolites [1]. The specific relationship between the host plant and its endophytes includes complex biochemical interactions [2,3]. Endophytes have adapted themselves to their special...
1. Introduction Mycotoxins are natural contaminants commonly found in plant-derived foodstuffs, mainly cereals and their by-products. Since these raw materials are added as ingredients in feed formulation for different animal species, including cultivated fish, the risk of mycotoxin contamination in feed for aquaculture has increased, thus introducing contaminants (i.e., mycotoxins), which were not previously identified in fish tissues [1]. Diverse studies reported mycotoxin...
1. Introduction Aflatoxins (AFs) are secondary metabolites of the Aspergillus species of fungi, which are generally contaminate tropical and subtropical food and feedstuffs [1]. However, due to climate change, their occurrence in temperate climates should be taken into account not only during storage but also on the field [2,3]. Climate change usually causes drought stress in fungi, and stress-responding pathways can stimulate the AF production of Aspergillus flavus...
The so called Mycotoxins are not a new subject to Indian poultry industry. Perhaps, it is not an overstatement to say that Indian poultry feed millers, integrators and farmers understand mycotoxin challenges much better than their counterparts from the other countries. This is due to the extensive applied research carried on mycotoxins in poultry as well as high occurrence of aflatoxicosis in the field. Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of molds and their presence in the raw...
Introduction Mycotoxins are a chemically broad group of compounds characterized by low molecular weight. They are usually produced by moulds, especially species Aspergillus, Penicillium, Alternaria and Fusarium. Generally, there are many species, although only a few are monitored [1]. These species pose a health risk to both humans and livestock, and their occurrence causes considerable economic damage every year. The most involved are aflatoxins (AFB1), fumonisins, ochratoxins,...
1. Introduction Fusarium head blight (FHB) of small grain cereals and Fusarium Ear Rot (FER) of maize remain among the most important diseases affecting cereals worldwide. Among the predominating fungi causing both diseases are Fusarium graminearum sensu stricto (s.s.) and F. culmorum [1,2]. Besides yield losses, they also cause quality decline by contamination of the grain with type B trichothecenes. This group of mycotoxins includes deoxynivalenol (DON) and nivalenol (NIV),...
1. Introduction Maize or corn (Zea mays L.) is a cereal of extreme importance in the diets of many populations, contributing especially as a source of energy because of its high content of starches (up to 73% of kernel weight), proteins (8–13.7%), fatty acids (4–5.4%), as well as vitamins and minerals [1,2]. Corn grits are produced by removing the outer bran, the germ, and the tip cap of the grains, followed by grinding into smaller coarse bits. A wide variety of...
1. Introduction Aflatoxins are highly toxic and carcinogenic compounds produced by Aspergillus flavus and closely related fungi in several crops [1]. Maize (Zea mays L.) and groundnut (Arachis hypogea L.) are amongst the most susceptible crops. Crop contamination with these potent compounds negatively affects both human and animal health, the income of farmers, and trade opportunities [2–4]. In the case of animals, when feeds are prepared with aflatoxin-contaminated crops,...
1. Introduction Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by fungi. These compounds represent a threat to food security as they recurrently contaminate human food and animal feed, especially when those products have been produced from fungal-infected agricultural commodities, such as fruits, grains and vegetables [1]. The main foodborne mycotoxins of public health concern are aflatoxins, fumonisins, ochrartoxins, zearalenone, tricothecenes, deoxynivalenol and patulin...
1. Introduction Mycotoxins are toxic chemically diverse secondary metabolites produced by filamentous fungi. Their structural diversity can give rise to several adverse effects in humans and animals, such as carcinogenicity, immunosuppression, teratogenicity, nephrotoxicity, and hepatotoxicity [1]. The contamination of food and feed supply with low levels of mycotoxins is widespread, and includes commodities such as wine, apple juice, cereals, milk, coffee beans, maize, nuts,...
1. Introduction The basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factors are highly conserved in eukaryotes, and play critical roles in stress response pathways. These proteins are able to form homodimers or heterodimers, and bind specific DNA sequences to regulate the expression of genes involved in cellular responses to oxidative stress. For example, the evolutionarily conserved bZIP protein, Nrf2, is known to form heterodimers with ATF4 or MAF, and bind to antioxidant response...
1. Introduction Many species of filamentous fungi have the ability to produce toxic secondary metabolites known as mycotoxins. The term mycotoxin is used only for toxic substances produced by fungi related to food products and animal feed; it does not include toxins produced by mushrooms [1]. Today, about 400 structurally different mycotoxins have been discovered and divided into the following main groups: (i) aflatoxins produced by Aspergillus species and ochratoxins produced...
1. Introduction Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)—one of the most commercially significant cereals worldwide—is grown in certain regions of Africa and in the highlands of Asia and Latin America, where the grain is usually consumed for human nutrition. In Europe, barley is used for animal feed and in the preparation of alcoholic beverages such as beer and whisky. In Argentina, the grain’s main destination is likewise the brewing industry, although the use of barley...
1. Introduction The economic losses caused by mycotoxins are mostly related to the extra costs employed to reduce or eliminate mycotoxin contamination in the diet, and the financial losses due to suboptimal animal production (Magnoli et al., 2019). Among the mycotoxins affecting livestock production, the Fusarium mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) appears as one of the most important ones. The knowledge regarding the effects of DON on broilers is mostly based on studies using...
1. Introduction Mycotoxins are secondary fungal metabolites that are harmful to animals and humans [1]. Monogastric animals are considered to be more susceptible to the toxic effects of mycotoxins than ruminants as the rumen microbiota are capable to degrade some of those toxic molecules to less toxic metabolites [2–4]. In addition, intrinsic rumen fluid factors, such as bacterial and yeast cell walls and feed particles, can deactivate mycotoxins (e.g., aflatoxins and...
Introduction Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of low molecular weights produced by certain strains of filamentous fungi such as Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillium, which invade crops in the field and may grow on foods during storage under favaourable conditions of temperature and humidity. The most common mycotoxins are aflatoxins, fumonisins, ochratoxin A, trichothecenes, zearalenone, and out of which aflatoxins (AF) commonly contaminate a wide variety of tropical and...
1. Introduction The warm and humid climate conditions of sub-Saharan Africa promote the growth of fungi and associated production of mycotoxins. Approximately 25% of grains harvested annually worldwide contain mycotoxins. Ingestion of these contaminated foods can lead to disease and death [1]. Aflatoxin is the most prevalent and harmful human mycotoxin reported to date [2]. Aflatoxins are common food contaminants produced as secondary metabolites of fungi belonging to...
1. Introduction Mycotoxins are produced by molds under specific conditions, such as high humidity, poor agricultural practices, or damaged and contaminated crops. Although the presence of molds on grains does not necessarily mean there are mycotoxins present, the potential for mycotoxin production does exist. Further, the long-term absence of molds on stored food and feed does not guarantee that the grain is free of mycotoxins [1,2]. The issue of mycotoxin risk is therefore...