Mycotoxins

Mycotoxins are toxic compounds made by fungus, an organismal group that includes moulds, yeasts, and mushrooms. Mycotoxins of public health concern are mostly produced by two closely related species of moulds or fungi called Fusarium and Aspergillus (flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus), which create fumonisins and aflatoxins, respectively. According to the Food and Agriculture organization of the United Nations, mycotoxins have a negative impact on 25% of the world's food output. ⁽¹⁾

1. Presence of mycotoxins

Mycotoxin-contaminated food or feed can make people or animals poisonous in a short or long period of time. Public health worries include the potential intake of food products made from animals, in addition to the adverse effects of directly consuming mycotoxin-contaminated meals and feeds, such as meat, milk, or eggs, containing residues or metabolites of mycotoxins The main mycotoxin producers are Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Penicillium, three fungal genera. Although more than 300 mycotoxins have been identified, just six of them—aflatoxins, trichothecenes, zearalenone, fumonisins, ochratoxins, and patulin—regularly show up in food and create a constant threat to global food safety. ⁽²⁾

2. Factors contributing to mycotoxin contamination

During the post-harvest stage, agricultural products may get contaminated with these mycotoxins due to damage from birds, insects, or unfavourable weather. Mold growth may be a result of improper marketing, transportation, and storage. Numerous variables, including fungicides, relative humidity, temperature, nutrition, kind of plant, insect infestation, geographic region, and others, have an impact on mycotoxin development. The main moulds that create mycotoxins in food and feed are Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, and Alternaria. Because they are consumed by a vast number of people worldwide, food groups such grains, oil seeds, legumes, fruits, vegetables, coffee, drinks, spices, and herbs serve as key vectors for mycotoxins. ⁽⁴⁾

3. Health effects of the majority of identified mycotoxins

The harmful effects of mycotoxins on both people and animals depend on the strain. Aflatoxin exposure causes human health problems such as cancer, hepatotoxicity, teratogenicity, and mutations when consumed, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin. ⁽⁵⁾

4. Regulations

Many national and international public health and governmental organisations, including the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), World Health Organization (WHO), Food Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the European Food Safety Authority, are very concerned about mycotoxin contamination in food and feed (EFSA). To address this global issue, these organisations have adopted strict regulatory guidelines for the main mycotoxin classes in food and feed. Currently, there are restrictions on the number of main mycotoxins in food and feed in about 100 different nations. The regulatory limitations set by the US FDA and EU for mycotoxin levels in food and animal feed are listed in Table, along with significant toxins, major producers, and certain frequently contaminated food commodities. ⁽⁶⁾

Source: HTTPs://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5486318/

5. Testing Methods

The main rapid and reference test methods available for mycotoxins ⁽⁷⁾

6. Eurofins advantages

For all mycotoxins that are regulated as well as a large number of unregulated mycotoxins, the comprehensive risk-oriented mycotoxin and biotoxin testing package provided by Eurofins includes screening and confirmatory procedures. Services for representative sampling complete it.

Regulated mycotoxins

• Aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2, M1
• Ochratoxin A (OTA)
• Deoxynivalenol (DON)
• Zearalenone
• Fumonisins B1, B2, B3
• T-2 / HT-2 toxin
• Citrinin
• Patulin
• Ergot alkaloids
• Other mycotoxins

Alternaria toxins

• Beauvericin
• Enniatins A, A1, B, B1
• 3- and 15-Acetyldeoxynivalenol
• Nivalenol
• Sterigmatocystin
• Fusarenone X
• Diacetoxyscirpenol
• Others

Biotoxins

• Opium alkaloids (Morphine)
• Tropane alkaloids
• Pyrrolizidine alkaloids

All analytical testing services are carried out by Eurofins Laboratories in compliance with DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025:2005, and they frequently participate in proficiency examinations of the used techniques.

References

1. https://www.greenfacts.org/en/mycotoxins-aflatoxins-fumonisins/l-2/index.htm
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5486318/
3. https://www.eurofins.in/food-testing/services/mycotoxin-testing/
4. https://www.knowmycotoxins.com/media/blog/the-impact-of-mycotoxins-on-human-health/
5. https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/an-overview-of-mycotoxin-contamination-of-foods-and-feeds-95992.html
6. http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/14/6/632/xml
7. https://www.mycotoxins.info/mycotoxin-testing/analytical-methods/

Contact Us