Mycotoxins hazardous effects

Bhatnagar D, Lillehoj EB, Bennett JW Biological detoxification of mycotoxin in Smith JE, Henderson RS (eds) Mycotoxins and Animal Foods. Boca Raton, CRC Press, 1991, pp 815-826. Lopez-Garcia R, Park DL Effectiveness of post-harvest procedures in management of mycotoxin hazards in Sinha KK, Bhatnagar D (eds) Mycotoxin in Agriculture and Food Safety. New York, Dekker, 1998, pp 407-434. 

Mycotoxins present a high severity of hazard level because of the serious long-term effects on humans, especially immunological disturbances and cancer developments. While the public are increasingly aware of the immediate health-disturbing effects of viral and bacterial-contaminated foods... 

Although many coumarins have been safely used in clinics, there are a number of reports about their unwanted side effects [241,242]. Coumarin mycotoxins in food products can pose health hazards in animals and human. At high levels in feed, these mycotoxins may cause animal toxicoses, such as aflatoxicosis. At lower levels in feed these mycotoxins may have no apparent effect on livestock production, but their residues and related substances may move up the food chain [243]. Investigations fi om several European countries indicate that, in former days, there was a connection between mycotoxins, mortality and reduced birth rate. In addition, many mycotoxins can interfere wiA the immune system, even in small concentrations, and increase susceptibility to tuberculosis and infant mortality [244]. 

In addition to health hazards, several mycotoxins have phytotoxic impacts on host plants and may cause loss of viability and reduced quality of plant seed (Nishiuchi, 2013). Several mycotoxins have antimicrobial activity and thus may also influence the behaviour of other microbes present in the same surrounding. Mycotoxins may have adverse effects on animal health if they are transmitted to sidestreams used as animal feed. Consumption of contaminated batches at farms can lead to reduced livestock productivity and to serious illness or even death (Murphy et al., 2006). Some of the most common mycotoxins associated with foods and beverages are presented in Table 6.2. 

T2 would be a particularly effective against unprotected civiUans or military personnel by causing enormous pain, general discomfort, and, in large enough concentrations, agonizing death.Trichothecene mycotoxin would also present a contamination hazard for clothing and equipment. 

An assessment of the health hazards caused by mycotoxins is not meaningful when applied to the aflatoxins because these substances damage DNA, are carcinogenic and have no threshold below which no harmful effects are observed. An assessment was possible in the case of deoxynivalenol und ochratoxin A, with the reservation... 

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