A Concise History of Mycotoxin Research
1CSIRO Agriculture and Food , P.O. Box 52, North Ryde, New South Wales 1670, Australia.
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
|December 15, 2016
Summary
Fungal toxins like aflatoxins and ergot have contaminated human food for millennia. Climate change may cause rare mycotoxins to reemerge, necessitating food system monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Food Science
- Mycology
- Toxicology
Background:
- Fungal toxins (mycotoxins) have been present in human food supplies since crop cultivation began approximately 10,000 years ago.
- Cereal storage created ecological niches for toxigenic fungi, making grains a primary source of mycotoxins for humans and animals.
Observation:
- Historical records document severe health impacts from mycotoxins, including ergotism from rye and cardiac beriberi from moldy rice.
- Research has elucidated the formation of aflatoxins by Aspergillus flavus in grains and nuts and their synergistic role with hepatitis B virus in liver cancer.
Findings:
- The paper reviews the historical significance and reemergence of various mycotoxins, such as citreoviridin and ochratoxin A.
- It details the impact of Fusarium toxins, including T-2 toxin and fumonisins, on human and animal health.
Implications:
- Current climate change and reduced crop diversity pose risks of rare fungal toxins reappearing in the food supply.
- Food system monitoring must remain vigilant for emerging or reemerging mycotoxin threats.
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