ABSTRACT
This chapter provides state-of-the-art overviews on foodborne diseases caused by fumonisins in relation to their clinical presentation, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. It presents an overview of scientific data regarding fumonisins classification and chemical structure and the genes associated with fumonisins synthesis. Fumonisins are toxic metabolites produced by different species belonging mainly to the genus Fusarium. Ingestion of feed and food contaminated with fumonisins can result in a foodborne disease called mycotoxicosis. Fumonisins are not mutagenic but are cancer promotors. Mycotoxicosis due to ingested fumonisins does not have a specific treatment. Thus, it is necessary to reduce the presence of these toxic compounds in feed and food and to employ sensitive techniques for quantifying fumonisins and detecting fumonisin-producing molds. Fumonisins are a group of mycotoxins with a strong structural similarity to sphinganine, the backbone precursor of sphingolipids. Fumonisins have been detected in maize on every continent, with broken kernels and small pieces that pass as corn screenings usually the most highly contaminated.
