engleski

TOXIC EFFECTS OF MYCOTOXINS IN HUMANS

Mycotoxins are products of moulds that contaminate all kinds of food and feed. Humans are continuously exposed to mycotoxins mostly by ingestion, but other ways of exposure (such as respiratory and dermal) are also possible. Foods of plant origin, such as grains and bread, coffee, grapes and vine, beer and spices are contaminated following infection with mycotoxin-producing moulds, while food of animal origin contains mycotoxins if animals are fed with contaminated feed. Mycotoxins may cause intoxications (either acute or chronic) called mycotoxicoses with high variability of target organs. These may be hepatotoxic, nephrotoxic, immunotoxic, neurotoxic, cardiotoxic, haematotoxic and also have carcinogen and teratogen properties. The severity of mycotoxicoses depends on the toxicity of the mycotoxin, extent of exposure and nutritional status of the individual and possible synergistic effect of other chemicals to which an individual is exposed. The toxic effects of mycotoxins are mostly known from veterinary practice. Mycotoxicoses, which can occur both in industrialized and developing countries, appear when environmental, social and economic conditions are combined with meteorological conditions (humidity and temperature) that favour the growth of moulds. Mycotoxins have highly variable chemical structures, but being organic compounds of low molecular mass, they do not cause allergies. Out of about 400 mycotoxins, only a few have known toxic effects in experimental animals, and even fewer possess effects known to be toxic in humans. Most mycotoxicoses were first recognized in domestic animals and it is difficult to diagnose them in humans. In humans, mycotoxicosis should be considered in case when a disease appears in several persons, with no obvious connection to a known etiological agent, such as microorganisms. Unfortunately, medical doctors are not trained well to diagnose them, and mycotoxicoses very often remain unrecognized. There are several international organizations and agencies (such as World Health Organization, International Agency for Research on Cancer and European Food Safety Agency) that deliver scientific opinions on various chemicals in food. The scientific opinion is based on results published in scientific literature on the effects of a toxin in laboratory animals. Researchers have realised that, in the field of mycotoxin toxicology, a particular problem is co- contamination of food with several mycotoxins with antagonistic, additive and synergistic toxic effects. Unfortunately, studies on the combined exposure to two or more mycotoxins are rare and inconclusive.

mycotoxins, humans, co-exposure, IARC

nije evidentirano