Mycotoxins as potential contaminants in agricultural production
1989
Oldenburg, E. (Bundesforschungsanstalt fuer Landwirtschaft, Braunschweig (Germany, F.R.). Inst. fuer Gruenland- und Futterpflanzenforschung) | Breves, G.
Recently macotoxins are recognized to be substantially involved in economic losses of agricultural production. Certain diseases in men and animals may be caused by mycotoxins directly and they are known to favour different diseases indirectly. The main target tissues affected by macotoxins are the organs of blood cell formation, the nervous system, reproductive organs, kidney and liver. So far about 400 different toxins have been identified, which may be produced by a high variety of hyphal fungi. Up to now, only for aflatoxins limiting concentrations in food and feed have been established in the Federal Republic of Germany. The main environmental factors influencing the growth of hyphal fungi are temperature, pH and oxygen tension. Fungi may develop during plant growth as well as during grain or product storage. There is some indication that the extended use of high yielding plant species has increased the susceptibility to fungi and toxin contamination. During storage, fungal growth and toxin production are mainly influenced by delayed or insufficient drying or through oxygen penetration in ensiled materials. So far little is known about interactions between different procedures for plant production and incidence of toxin production species. The concentration of mycotoxins in food and feed has been shown to vary within a wide range and is affected by complex environmental parameters. Special attention has been drawn to ochratoxin A, which is known to induce severe nephrotoxic symptoms in men and animals. Recent findings suggest that in addition to these classical effects immunosuppressive, teratogenic and cancerogenic effects may also occur.
Show more [+] Less [-]AGROVOC Keywords
Bibliographic information
This bibliographic record has been provided by ZB MED Nutrition. Environment. Agriculture
