Mycotoxins in Fish Aquaculture-Occurrence and Future Perspective

Area of Science:

• Aquatic toxicology
• Food safety
• Sustainable aquaculture

Background:

• Mycotoxins, toxic fungal metabolites, contaminate food and feed globally.
• Sustainable aquaculture shifts to plant/insect-based feeds, raising mycotoxin concerns in farmed fish.
• Previous studies focused on regulated mycotoxins in freshwater fish, with aflatoxin B1 commonly detected.

Purpose of the Study:

• Review current research on mycotoxin contamination in farmed fish.
• Summarize mycotoxin levels in freshwater and marine species and derived products.
• Discuss future perspectives on mycotoxin risks in sustainable aquaculture.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies on mycotoxin contamination in farmed fish.
• Analysis of mycotoxin occurrence data across freshwater and marine species.
• Synthesis of findings regarding regulated, emerging, and masked mycotoxins.

Main Results:

• Mycotoxins detected in various fish tissues (muscle, liver, intestine, ovaries, hepatopancreas).
• Aflatoxin B1 confirmed in freshwater fish muscle; broader mycotoxin spectrum studied in marine fish.
• Conflicting results reported for emerging mycotoxins like enniatins and beauvericin.

Conclusions:

• Sustainable aquaculture practices may increase mycotoxin exposure risks.
• Further research is needed to understand and mitigate mycotoxin risks in farmed fish.
• Comprehensive monitoring and risk assessment are crucial for ensuring food safety in aquaculture.