Fungal toxin (mycotoxin): Introduction, sources and types, production, detection, and applications
Sonu Kushwaha, Hemant Soni, Smriti Tandon, Gagandeep Singh, Yashika Gandhi, Vijay L. Kumar, Chandrashekhar Jagtap, Cheemalapati Venkata Narasimhaji, Shiddamallayya Mathapati, Narayanam Srikanth, Rabinarayan Acharya
Abstract
Mycotoxins , harmful substances produced by fungi such as Aspergillus , Penicillium , and Fusarium genera, can contaminate food, animal feed and agricultural products and pose major health dangers to humans and animals when swallowed, breathed, or absorbed through the skin. Various types of mycotoxins are produced by specific fungal species in specific environments during their growth and metabolism, especially in stressful situations. Fumonisin , ochratoxin , zearalenone , deoxynivalenol , and aflatoxin are some of the well-known mycotoxins. Environmental elements, including temperature, humidity, and substrate composition, affect the formation of mycotoxin. Regulatory agencies set maximum permissible limits on mycotoxin contamination in food and feed to ensure food safety because of the prevalence of mycotoxin contamination in agricultural products and its harmful effects. This has prompted the development of sensitive and precise detection methods. Gas chromatography (GC), immunoassays (ELISA), molecular approaches (PCR), and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) are some of the analytical methods used to identify and measure mycotoxins. Appropriate sampling strategies and sample preparation processes are essential for the precise identification of mycotoxins in food and feed samples. Although mycotoxins are toxic substances, they also exhibit potential applications in various fields such as food, feed, agriculture, medicine, food biotechnology, etc. Therefore, in this review, we present the types, sources, detection techniques, and potential applications of mycotoxins.