Mycotoxins are toxins from mold that can contaminate food. There are many different mycotoxins, some of which are harmful to human and animal health.
There are several hundred Mycotoxinsthat can get into food and feed. They are metabolic products of mold. According to the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) can cause certain mycotoxins in humans and animals even in small quantities harmful to health Act.
Molds often attack them Plants before harvest or during the storage, the transport or the Further processing. But also about contaminated feed mycotoxins can reach the end user “through muscle meat, eggs and milk”, explains the Bavarian Ministry of Consumption (VIS). Harmful effects can therefore occur even after a single ingestion of the mold toxins.
Mycotoxins in food: health hazard
Mycotoxins can be harmful to health:
- “Serious damage to various organs is possible in animals and humans after a single or repeated intake of mainly aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, fumonisins, citrinine or ergot alkaloids”, according to the VIS. That poses the greatest danger carcinogenic aflatoxin B1 represent.
- In the past there have been mycotoxins-related as well severe poisoning with liver damage. A high amount of certain mycotoxins can cause death due to liver failure. Small amounts over a long period of time can Liver tumors trigger. However, the carcinogenic potential of the individual mycotoxins differs greatly from one another.
- Some mycotoxins are suspected of having that heritage or harm fertilityexplains the Ministry of Consumer Protection. Malformations as Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are further dangers.
In Germany and other Central European countries, however, the risk of mycotoxin disease is very low, so Lower Saxony’s Ministry of Food Safety. This is due to the good quality of the food and frequent controls. “On the other hand, poor growth, storage and transport conditions as well as special eating habits, especially in subtropical and tropical areas of Africa and Asia, caused acute poisoning and deaths from the consumption of peanuts or corn products that are heavily contaminated with aflatoxins,” said the ministry . Since mycotoxins are heat-stable, even cooking cannot kill the toxins.
How do mycotoxins get into food?
Especially foods with a lot of carbohydrates, vegetable and animal oils, nitrogen and a soft, large-pored surface are susceptible to mycotoxins. Moldy food in the household is also contaminated with mycotoxins. However, raw materials can be contaminated with mold toxins even before they are further processed and purchased: For example, grain can already develop mold in the field or during storage.
The Ministry of Food Safety in Lower Saxony points out: “The amount of toxin is not correlated to the growth of fungi.” A small mold on food can therefore already contain many of the poisonous mycotoxins. In addition, molds also grow into food and release mycotoxins there. Plant foods in particular are susceptible to individual mycotoxins:
- Aflatoxins: Peanuts, nuts, dried fruits, cereals / flour, spices
- OTA: Cereals / flour, dried fruits, coffee, wine, beer, grape juice, cocoa, spices
- Patulin: Fruits
- Fusarium toxins: Cereals / flour and corn
- Ergot alkaloids: Grain / flour
- Alternative toxins: Tomato and Tomato Products
- Citrinine: Rice
However, mycotoxins also form on moldy rubbish or when there is mold in walls. The fungal spores can then enter the airways through the air.
Preventing mycotoxins: you can do that
It is best to make sure that no mold forms in the first place:
- Only buy as much as you can eat. If you have overcooked or bought a little too much, freeze it or keep it in a jar (see: Preserving Food: 3 Simple Ways).
- Store food in a dry and cool place. Heat and moisture encourage mold. More details in the article “Store food properly“.
- Professionals recommend that you stop eating moldy foods. But if only one slice of bread is moldy, you should throw away the one or two slices underneath and you can still eat the remaining bread. If you have a lot of mold, you shouldn’t eat it at all – health comes first.
- Especially people with one Mold allergy, Children, pregnant women and people with a weakened immune system should be careful. Once infected food should not be eaten – not even if the mold has been cut off generously beforehand.
More on the topic at Techzle.com:
- Strawberry is moldy: does the whole bowl have to be thrown in the trash?
- Eaten mold: what you should pay attention to now
- Remove and prevent mold – the right way