ABSTRACT
Investigation of the occurrence of natural toxicants in foodstuffs has been a relatively neglected area with the possible exception of mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of fungi which are capable of producing acute toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, teratogenic, and estrogenic effects on animals at normal levels of exposure. The aflatoxins form a group of very toxic coumarin derivatives, produced mainly by some Aspergillus species. Ochratoxins are metabolites produced by many Aspergillus and Penicillium species. The resulting sclerotia or “ergot bodies,” which can hibernate, may contain a mixture of different alkaloids that have powerful pharmacological properties. The fumonisins form a group of mycotoxins, mainly produced by Fusarium moniliforme. The prevention of mycotoxin formation is a major problem, not only in the developing countries, but also in the industrialized part of the world, such as in the United States. The use of cultivars will eliminate trichothecenes as deoxynivalenol and nivalenol from the food supply.
