Fumonisins – Mycotoxin produced by Fusarium species

Fumonisins are naturally occurring toxins produced by several species of Fusarium fungi (moulds). A number of different types of fumonisin are known, but fumonisins B1, B2 and B3 (also named FB1, FB2 and FB3) are the major forms found in food. Fumonisins were first recognized in 1988.

Fumonisins’ structure is similar to sphingolipid and this toxin in high concertation inhibits ceramide synthase that is an important enzyme in the de novo pathway of sphingolipid biosynthesis.

The genus Fusarium, belonging to the family Nectriaceae, can be found as saprophytes in soil and plants worldwide. Fusarium spp. colonize to the rhizospheres of plants and then subsequently enter into the plant system.

The fungi Fusarium verticillioides, F. proliferatum and F. fujikuroi, as well as some less widespread Fusarium species, are common contaminants of maize, and to a lesser extent of wheat and other cereals included their derived products. The FB1 has been reported to contaminate numerous food products like asparagus and garlic, barley foods, beers, dried figs, and milk.

Recently it has been found that Aspergillus niger produces fumonisins in grapes, wines, and dried vine fruits, but only at low concentrations. Fumonisins cause a range of diseases in animals, the most important being leukoencephalomalacia in horses and liver cancer in rats.

Fumonisin production has been observed during the post-harvest period; however, under adverse conditions of storage. Dietary exposure of fumonisins can lead to several harmful outcomes in both farm and experimental laboratory animals.
Fumonisins – Mycotoxin produced by Fusarium species

Staphylococcal enteritis

Staphylococcal enteritis is a type of acute gastroenteritis caused by a toxin produced by staphylococci.

Staphylococcal enteritis is recognized to produce toxins A-E and toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 associated with food poisoning.

The toxins are heat resistant proteins. If contaminated food is kept for several hours at room temperature, the microbe grows and produces toxins.

Staphylococcal enteritis usually produces only mild self-limited diarrhea. In severe disease, nausea, vomiting and profuse diarrhea may occur.

Cooked protein-rich food such as ham, poultry, beef, fish and shellfish and eggs and milk are implicated in outbreaks of staphylococcal enteritis.

These bacteria are present on the hands of about half of the population and contaminated of food during preparation.

However, organisms present before processing of foods are involved in outbreaks of food poisoning only if the cooking process is inadequate.
Staphylococcal enteritis

Foodborne Disease Severity caused by Chemical and Toxins

Foodborne Disease Severity caused by Chemical and Toxins
It is difficult to attribute disease by long term exposure to chemicals n food to the actual food in question because the period of time between exposure to chemicals and effect is usually long.

This is one of the reasons why, in contrast to biological hazards, the protection of public health from chemical hazards has for a long time largely employed the risk assessment paradigm.

Essentially the risk assessment paradigm relies in estimates of potential toxicity, most often from anima studies.

Exposure to chemicals in food can result an acute and chronic toxic effects ranging from mild and reversible to serious and life threatening.

These effects may include cancer, birth defects and damage to the nervous system, the reproductive system and the immune system.

Once the hazard characterization of a chemical has been performed, estimates of exposure through the diet and other sources are necessary to asses whether there is a public health concern.

Evaluation measures to assess potential harm has been focused on attaining information on the levels of chemicals in food and the diet as a whole, and national and international programmers have been developed to obtain such data.

However, biomonitoring for the certain chemicals may serve as a better or an additional tool in evaluation studies in the future.

In addition, the use of biomarkers for exposure as well as hazard identification and hazard characteristics may improve the accuracy and reliability of risk assessments of chemicals in food.
Foodborne Disease Severity caused by Chemical and Toxins