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Mycotoxins are fungal secondary metabolites that have been associated with severe toxic effects to vertebrates produced by many important phytopathogenic and food spoilage fungi including Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, and Alternaria species. The contamination of foods and animal feeds with mycotoxins is a worldwide problem. We reviewed various control strategies to prevent the growth of mycotoxigenic fungi as well as to inhibit mycotoxin biosynthesis including pre-harvest (resistance varieties, field management and the use of biological and chemical agents), harvest management, and post-harvest (improving of drying and storage conditions, the use of natural and chemical agents, and irradiation) applications. While much work in this area has been performed on the most economically important mycotoxins, aflatoxin B1 and ochratoxin A much less information is available on other mycotoxins such as trichothecenes, fumonisin B1, zearalenone, citrinin, and patulin. In addition, physical, chemical, and biological detoxification methods used to prevent exposure to the toxic and carcinogenic effect of mycotoxins are discussed. Finally, dietary strategies, which are one of the most recent approaches to counteract the mycotoxin problem with special emphasis on in vivo and in vitro efficacy of several of binding agents (activated carbons, hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate, bentonite, zeolites, and lactic acid bacteria) have also been reviewed.
Keywords Mycotoxin, detoxification, prevention
INTRODUCTION
Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites which are produced by several fungi mainly belonging to the genera: Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, and Altemaria.1,2,3,4 While Aspergillus and Penicillium species are generally found as contaminants in food during drying and storage, Fusarium and Alterna ria spp. can produce mycotoxins before or immediately after harvesting.5 Up until now, approximately 400 secondary metabolites with toxigenic potential produced by more than 100 moulds, have been reported, with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimating that as much as 25% of the world's agricultural commodities are contaminated with mycotoxins,6-11 leading to significant economic losses.12
Mycotoxins primarily occur in the mycelium of the toxigenic moulds and may also be found in the spores of these organisms13 and cause a toxic response, termed a mycotoxicosis, when ingested by higher vertebrates and other animals.14 These secondary metabolites are synthesized during the end of the exponential phase of growth and appear to have no biological significance with respect to mould growth/development or competitiveness.13,15-17 All moulds are not toxigenic and...