Mycotoxins: Structure, Biosynthesis, Health Effects, and Their Biological Detoxification

Abstract

Mycotoxins are a group of low molecular weight secondary metabolites that can lead to toxic reactions in humans and animals. These mycotoxins of importance are chiefly produced by the species of Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium, which are known to produce different types of toxins including aflatoxins, ochratoxins, citrinin, patulin, zearalenone, zearalenol, fumonisins, deoxynivalenol, and trichothecenes. Many of these toxins are heat stable and impose health risks to humans and animals, thereby causing disease syndromes known as mycotoxicoses. Several factors affect the colonization and production of mycotoxins by fungi, including pH, temperature, humidity, and substrate nutrition. They can be produced in the field, before harvest, after harvest, or during transportation and storage. It is urgently necessary to establish national guidelines for the prevention and management of mycotoxin contamination in agricultural products in India. Mycotoxin contamination of agricultural commodities leads to export rejection, which is a matter of great concern from an economic point of view. In this review, we will discuss the different types of mycotoxins, their structure, toxicological effects on human and animal health, and the various microorganisms that are capable of detoxifying them.