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Fungi and Water
Published in Chuong Pham-Huy, Bruno Pham Huy, Food and Lifestyle in Health and Disease, 2022
Chuong Pham-Huy, Bruno Pham Huy
Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by microfungi (molds, yeasts) that are capable of causing disease and death in humans and animals. Growth of fungi in human hosts leads to diseases collectively called mycoses, while dietary, respiratory, dermal, and other exposures to toxic fungal metabolites named mycotoxins produce the diseases collectively called mycotoxicosis (125). Mycoses range from merely annoying (e.g., athlete’s foot) to life-threatening (e.g., invasive aspergillosis). The fungi that cause mycoses can be divided into two categories: primary pathogens (e.g., Coccidioides immitis and Histoplasma capsulatum) and opportunistic pathogens (e.g., Aspergillus fumigatus and Candida albicans) (125). In general, primary pathogens affect healthy individuals with normal immune systems, while opportunistic pathogens produce illness in debilitated or immunocompromised hosts – in atopic subjects. The majority of human mycoses are caused by opportunistic fungi (125). In contrast to mycosis, mycotoxicosis is a disease caused by mycotoxins that are toxic compounds present in molds. Mycotoxins are analogous to pesticides or heavy metal residues in foods and can cause disease to everybody (125). The symptoms of a mycotoxicosis depend on the type of mycotoxin; the amount and duration of the exposure; the age, health, and sex of the exposed individual; and many poorly understood synergistic effects involving genetics, dietary status, and interactions with other toxic insults (125).
Effects of Food Processing, Storage, and Cooking on Nutrients in Plant-Based Foods
Published in Nicole M. Farmer, Andres Victor Ardisson Korat, Cooking for Health and Disease Prevention, 2022
The aforementioned strategies to improve cereal grain storage can substantially improve postharvest losses of cereal grains. In developing countries, these losses may account for a substantial proportion of the total harvest of commodities such as rice (5%–25%), corn (40%–50%), and wheat (3%–25%) (Kumar & Kalita, 2017). Addressing these fundamental storage issues can not only increase economic productivity but also improve food security, help alleviate hunger, aid in sustainable agricultural production, and improve the livelihoods of the farmers who depend on these products (Kumar & Kalita, 2017). Moreover, improvement in storage conditions may also decrease exposure to mycotoxins from Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus, which are associated with the incidence of liver cancer in adults and may affect growth in children (Kumar & Kalita, 2017) (Figure 2.13).
Mycotoxins and Tick-Borne Disease
Published in Sahar Swidan, Matthew Bennett, Advanced Therapeutics in Pain Medicine, 2020
The diagnosis of mycotoxin illness begins with a careful inventory of possible exposures. Exposure to organic environmental pathogens and antigens can occur in the home, school, the workplace, or even in automobiles.45 Water leaks in homes can often be identified when damp areas are noted or when water stains from past exposure appear on walls and baseboards. Visible mold can vary from white residue to black patches of mold on walls, ceilings, and belongings. It is important to note that significant microbial growth may be present without any visible evidence as it may be behind walls, inside cabinets, in ventilation ducts or furnaces, or under horizontal surfaces of furniture. In addition, although a “musty” smell (due to volatile organic compounds produced by molds) often indicates microbial growth, many mycotoxins are odorless. There are known to be over 200 different types of mycotoxins.
Prevention and Detoxification of Mycotoxins in Human Food and Animal Feed using Bio-resources from South Mediterranean Countries: a Critical Review
Published in Critical Reviews in Toxicology, 2023
Amina Aloui, Jalila Ben Salah-Abbès, Abdellah Zinedine, Amar Riba, Noel Durand, Jean Christophe Meile, Didier Montet, Catherine Brabet, Samir Abbès
Addressing the issue of mycotoxin contamination and exposure is still a pressing challenge, as mycotoxins and related pathologies have become a worldwide preoccupation since they raise serious economic and sanitary problems. Northern African countries provide favorable conditions for mycotoxin contamination including high temperature, humidity as well as the traditional habit for food processing and storage. The most important mycotoxins that occur in these countries are AFs, OTA and ZEN, especially in cereals and their derived products and AFM1 in raw milk. However, the type and level of the different mycotoxins vary in each country depending mainly on different conditions. There is a lack of knowledge and information on mycotoxin in Libya. Mycotoxins were most prevalent in cereals such as wheat, sorghum, and maize. Furthermore, many samples had concentration levels that exceeded the European limit. As a result, consumption of mycotoxin-contaminated food and feedstuff is unavoidable, which poses a significant health risk for humans (children and adults) and animals. They can cause acute toxicity or several chronic adverse effects such as carcinogenic, hepatotoxic, nephrotoxic, immunotoxic and estrogenic in consumers, demanding sufficient regulation in these countries to ensure food and feed safety for humans and animals.
Hepatic susceptibility to oxidative damage after repeated concomitant exposure to aspartame and aflatoxin B1 in rats
Published in Drug and Chemical Toxicology, 2022
Naieli Schiefelbein Souto, Micheli Dassi, Ana Cláudia Monteiro Braga, Érica Vanessa Furlan Rosa, Michele Rechia Fighera, Luiz Fernando Freire Royes, Mauro Schneider Oliveira, Marcel Henrique Marcondes Sari, Ana Flávia Furian
Whole foods are rich in fiber, protein, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins these nutrients can serve as substrates for microorganism proliferation, especially fungi (Orina et al. 2017, Peters et al. 2017, Sadhasivam et al. 2017). Some species of fungi produce toxic substances known as mycotoxins. Importantly, mycotoxins contaminate around 75% of all cereals produced in the world (Lee and Ryu 2017). AFB1 is the most toxic and prevalent mycotoxin, which is classified in group 1 of carcinogenicity (Stoev 2015, Ostry et al. 2017, Singh and Chuturgoon 2017). AFB1 has been shown to affect several organs and tissues. However, the liver is its target organ, since it has been shown to cause hepatocellular carcinoma (Williams et al. 2004, Liu and Wu 2010, Wogan et al. 2012, Rushing and Selim 2019). Of note, AFB1 is stable and can resist thermal processes, being present in roasted nuts and cooked products, as well as other foods (Marin et al. 2013).
Mycotoxins and mycotoxigenic fungi in aquaculture and seafood: a review and new perspective
Published in Toxin Reviews, 2022
Adel Mirza Alizadeh, Amin Mousavi Khaneghah, Hedayat Hosseini
Besides, consuming foods contaminated with mycotoxins can cause health problems for fish (e.g. inflammation, weight loss, reduced feed intake, lesions in the kidneys, liver, and spleen) (Oliveira and Vasconcelos 2020). The most dangerous part can be the accumulation of mycotoxins in the edible muscles of different fish species, ultimately leading to side effects for consumers. The toxic symptoms of mycotoxin intake in humans (acute and chronic toxicity) include immune deficiency, vomiting, abdominal pain, jaundice, reproductive disorders, organ failure, carcinogenicity, hepatotoxicity, neurotoxicity, immunotoxic, genotoxic, teratogenic, and severe cases, pulmonary edema, convulsions, coma, and death (Ostry et al. 2017; Mirza Alizadeh et al. 2021a). In addition, studies have confirmed that meat from aflatoxin-contaminated aquaculture and fish products can cause types of neurological and depressive disorders, general pain, testicular toxicity and estrogenic effects, gastrointestinal disorders and diarrhea, hepatotoxicity, various cancers, and other harmful health effects (Afsah‐Hejri et al. 2013; Pietsch 2019). As depicted in Figure 1, the cycle of mycotoxin contamination transmission occurs when mycotoxigenic fungus and their toxins are introduced into contaminated fish feed. If the manufacturing and storage circumstances for seafood were not appropriate, contamination of the final product may occur throughout the various stages of the production process.