Alternaria Toxins and Their Importance in Food

Members of the genus Alternaria are known to produce compounds that are pathogenic to plants and other test organisms, including animals. Of the more than 30 compounds produced, tenuazonic acid, alternariol, alternariol methyl ether and altertoxin I are the most toxic to animals. These toxic compounds have been isolated from diseased plant tissue and could be a problem with foods, although only tenuazonic acid has been isolated in small amounts from wholesome foods. A number of Alternaria spp. can produce these compounds and some species produce many of the compounds. Growth conditions under which the compounds are produced are not well-defined; generally the optimum temperature for their production is near 20°C.