0000000001137029

AUTHOR

Armando Venâncio

Mycotoxins in maize: mitigation actions, with a chain management approach

Maize is the principal staple food/feed crop exposed to mycotoxins, and the co-occurrence of multiple mycotoxins and their metabolites has been well documented. This review presents the infection cycle, ecology, and plant-pathogen interactions of Aspergillus and Fusarium species in maize, and current knowledge on maize chain management to mitigate the occurrence of aflatoxins and fumonisins. Preventive actions include at pre-harvest, as part of cropping systems, at harvest, and at postharvest, through storage, processing, and detoxification to minimize consumer exposure. Preventive actions in the field have been recognized as efficient for reducing the entrance of mycotoxins into production…

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Predominant mycotoxins, mycotoxigenic fungi and climate change related to wine

Wine is a significant contributor to the economies of many countries. However, the commodity can become contaminated with mycotoxins produced by certain fungi. Most information on mycotoxins in wine is from Spain, Italy and France. Grapes can be infected by mycotoxigenic fungi, of which Aspergillus carbonarius producing ochratoxin A (OTA) is of highest concern. Climate is the most important factor in determining contamination once the fungi are established, with high temperatures being a major factor for OTA contamination: OTA in wine is at higher concentrations in warmer southern Europe than northern. Contamination by fumonisins is a particular concern, related to Aspergillus niger produci…

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Mycotoxin mixtures in food and feed: a holistic, innovative, flexible modelling approach for risk assessment MYCHIF

Mycotoxin contamination can occur in many agricultural products both destined to food and feed. Mycotoxins are produced as the result of fungal metabolism and plant-pathogen interaction. Therefore, many structurally-related congeners, defined as modified mycotoxins are generated by plant &/or fungi metabolism, or food processing, and coexist with their native forms. Studies investigating the co-occurrence of multiple-mycotoxins reported 75%100% of samples containing more than one mycotoxin, referring to native compounds and 100% reported multiple modified forms. A major challenge in a risk assessment is to depict the biosynthesis of mycotoxin mixtures and their realistic occurrence. Over th…

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