title: Fumonisins in plant-origin food and fodder--a review.
abstract: Fumonisins are mycotoxins produced by the Fusarium group of fungi commonly found on crops, mainly on maize. Some data suggest that as much as 25% of world crops may be lost because of mycotoxin contamination. Therefore, researchers in many countries (particularly in those in which relatively large amounts of maize are directly consumed by humans) are concerned with fumonisin levels in plant-origin foodstuffs and feeds available in their local markets. There is no doubt the levels are strongly correlated with the climate conditions prevailing in the region in which the maize was cultivated: the hotter the climate, the more serious the problem. Negative consequences of consumption of fumonisin-contaminated food by humans include an increased risk of oesophagus cancer and decreased body mass growth. In recent years some trials have been undertaken to reduce fumonisin levels in food and feed by the application of isothiocyanates naturally occurring in plants or peptidoglycans isolated from lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The results of these studies suggested that some reduction in contamination levels might be achieved. Additionally, some recent studies indicate that Sphingopyxis sp. bacteria produce enzymes that are able to break down the fumonisin molecule. Some fumonisins present in food may be bound/coupled with other compounds, and therefore difficult to detect. Such complexes in which the toxins are masked or hidden may even be at higher levels than the not-bound (free) molecules. The problem of how to evaluate effectively and efficiently the concentration of fumonisins in various foodstuffs is therefore a real-life challenge for scientists.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Food Analysis , Institute of Agricultural and Food Biotechnology , Warsaw , Poland.
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bryła
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roszko
authors.forename: Krystyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Szymczyk
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jędrzejczak
authors.forename: Mieczysław W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Obiedziński
authors.forename: Janusz
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sękul
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000592:standards; D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000592:standards; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000517:prevention & control; D005511:Food Handling; D005513:Food Inspection / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods; D037341:Fumonisins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D005670:Fusarium / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D007881:Legislation, Food; D012820:Silage / Q000032:analysis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000592:standards; D003313:Zea mays / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental; D037341:Fumonisins