Microscopic Fungi, Mycotoxins and Human Health

Overview

Mycotoxins are toxic metabolites produced by certain toxigenic microscopic fungi (moulds) in and on foods.Consequently mycotoxin-containing foods have been found all over the world: Africa, Asia, North and SouthAmerica, Australia and Europe. The extent of the problem is greater in some parts of the world than in others becausetheir climatic conditions are more favourable for mould growth and thus synthesis of mycotoxins. These toxins havebeen associated with various diseases - mycotoxicoses in humans throughout the world (ergotism, alimentary toxicaleukia, aflatoxicosis, balkan nephropathy, yellow rice disease, oesophageal cancer etc.). Mycotoxins can enter thefood chain by one of two major routes: direct contamination resulting from the use of a food components contaminatedwith mycotoxins and indirect contamination resulting from the growth of toxigenic fungi of the food. Investigationsof mycotoxins in foodstuffs, in human urine and human milk were incorporated into the system of EnvironmentalHealth Monitoring in the Czech Republic. The risk of acute toxic effects of mycotoxins was usually considered tobe minimal in the Czech Republic. The risk of later toxic effects (particularly carcinogenic risk) after very low singleor repeated mycotoxin concentrations in foodstuffs is very important.

Key words:
toxigenic fungi, mycotoxins, mycotoxicoses, human exposure, risk assessment.