Fusarium mycotoxins and the effects of high-fat diets

Some of the inconsistencies encountered in epidemiological and experimental studies on the role of various types of fats in the etiology of cardiovascular disorders and certain tumors (of the breast, endometrium, and colon, among others) may be related to the presence of adventitious contaminants in the fats. Among the contaminants, mycotoxins, especially those produced in agricultural products by the Fusarium field-microfungi (the irritant trichothecenes, the estrogenic zearalenone, and other resorcylic acid lactones), warrant particular attention. Their production is favored by the wet, cool weather prevailing in areas notable for high incidences of the aforementioned disorders. The recent development of sensitive radioimmunoassays for the detection and estimation of some of these mycotoxins should facilitate the testing of the above hypothesis.