ABSTRACT
Mycotoxins are secondary fungal metabolites with diverse structures and toxicological properties that induce a variety of toxic effects in humans and animals when foods contaminated with these compounds are ingested. The occurrence of mycotoxins in agricultural commodities depends on such factors as region, season, and the conditions under which a particular crop is grown, harvested, and stored. Detoxification of mycotoxin-contaminated foods is carried out through the use of physical, chemical, and biological methods. Toxic fungal metabolites, known as mycotoxins, have chemically diverse structures and toxicological properties, which induce a variety of toxic effects in humans and animals on ingestion. The toxicity of mycotoxins to animals ranges from acute death to chronic disease and interference with reproductive efficiency. Fungal metabolites capable of causing sustained tremors, convulsions, and death in animals have been isolated from several fungi. These tremorgenic mycotoxins include several compounds that cause sustained trembling in animals.
