Where does fumonisin come from?

Fumonisins are secondary metabolites produced in cereals by pathogenic fungi, namely Fusarium verticillioides, Fusarium proliferatum, and related species [1]. Moreover, Aspergillus nigri also produces fumonisins in the crop plants of peanut, maize, and grape [2,3,4,5,6].

What are the symptoms of Fumosinin b1 toxin?

While the acute toxicity of fumonisin is low, it is the known cause of two diseases which occur in domestic animals with rapid onset: equine leukoencephalomalacia and porcine pulmonary oedema syndrome. Both of these diseases involve disturbed sphingolipid metabolism and cardiovascular dysfunction.

Where is fumonisin B1 found?

corn
Fumonisins B1 (Figure 2) and B2 are metabolites of Fusarium moniliforme and F. proliferatum. They are common natural contaminants of corn and have caused deaths in horses and swine. Small amounts have been found in cornmeal and breakfast cereals.

What type of hazard is zearalenone?

Zearalenone (Figure 3) is a toxin produced by Fusarium species and is an estrogenic compound also known as F-2 toxin. It affects the reproductive system of animals, especially swine causing vulvovaginitis in females and feminization of males.

What is the target organ of zearalenone?

Based on radiolabeled studies in mice, zearalenone is distributed to estrogen target tissues such as uterus, ovarian follicles, and interstitial cells in the testis as well as adipose tissue.

What foods contain aflatoxin B1?

Aflatoxins can occur in foods such as groundnuts, tree nuts, maize, rice, figs and other dried foods, spices, crude vegetable oils and cocoa beans, as a result of fungal contamination before and after harvest.

What are fumonisins?

The fumonisins are a group of mycotoxins derived from Fusarium and their Liseola section. They have strong structural similarity to sphinganine, the backbone precursor of sphingolipids.

Are fumonisins metabolized in animals?

Fumonisins are poorly absorbed, rapidly eliminated and not metabolized in animals. In pigs and rats there is a wide distribution of FB 1 and small amounts have been found to accumulate only in liver and kidneys. In vervet monkeys, some FB 1 is partially hydrolyzed in the gut.

Are fumonisins non-genotoxic carcinogens?

As the fumonisins appear to be non-genotoxic the possibility that they belong to another class of non-genotoxic carcinogens, the peroxisome proliferators, was investigated Genetic engineering is reported as a promising means of detoxifying mycotoxins.

How many fumonisins are there in grapes?

At least 15 different fumonisins have so far been reported and other minor metabolites have been identified, although most of them have not been shown to occur naturally. In 2015, a unique class of non-aminated fumonisins was reported on grapes infected with Aspergillus welwitschiae, although their toxicities have not yet been established.