An Assessment of Food Contamination by Toxic Products of Alternaria

Invasion of food crops by the common mold Alternaria has been widely observed. Consequent contamination of food by five toxic Alternaria metabolities, i.e., tenuazonic acid, alternariol and its monomethyl ether, altenuene and altertoxin I, has been demonstrated in a few instances. These compounds have been found together in several food samples and they may have synergistic toxic effects. Suggestions for further work on these synergistic effects and on the effects of long-term feeding of the individual compounds to mammals are made. It is also suggested that more extensive surveys of food for these compounds are needed to establish the likely intakes of these compounds by man.