title: Alternaria in Food: Ecophysiology, Mycotoxin Production and Toxicology.
abstract: Alternaria species are common saprophytes or pathogens of a wide range of plants pre- and post-harvest. This review considers the relative importance of Alternaria species, their ecology, competitiveness, production of mycotoxins and the prevalence of the predominant mycotoxins in different food products. The available toxicity data on these toxins and the potential future impacts of Alternaria species and their toxicity in food products pre- and post-harvest are discussed. The growth of Alternaria species is influenced by interacting abiotic factors, especially water activity (aw), temperature and pH. The boundary conditions which allow growth and toxin production have been identified in relation to different matrices including cereal grain, sorghum, cottonseed, tomato, and soya beans. The competitiveness of Alternaria species is related to their water stress tolerance, hydrolytic enzyme production and ability to produce mycotoxins. The relationship between A. tenuissima and other phyllosphere fungi has been examined and the relative competitiveness determined using both an Index of Dominance (ID) and the Niche Overlap Index (NOI) based on carbon-utilisation patterns. The toxicology of some of the Alternaria mycotoxins have been studied; however, some data are still lacking. The isolation of Alternaria toxins in different food products including processed products is reviewed. The future implications of Alternaria colonization/infection and the role of their mycotoxins in food production chains pre- and post-harvest are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Microbiology Lab., Division of Food Technology, Biotechnology & Agrochemistry, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 500-757, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyang Burm
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón II, 3° Piso, 1428 Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Patriarca
authors.affiliation: Applied Mycology Group, AgriFood Theme, Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedford, MK43 0AL, UK.
authors.forename: Naresh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Magan
keywords: Alternaria species; Ecology; Food products; Mycotoxins; Physiology