| Popis: |
In this article the authors study characteristics, properties and effects of mycotoxins on the human body. The characteristics of the most common food contaminants, namely mold fungi of Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillium genera, are considered. Propagating in food products, many mold fungi not only pollute them with toxins, but also worsen organoleptic properties, reduce nutritional value, lead to the damage of these products and unsuitability for technological processing, and the use of livestock feed affected by mold fungi, is the cause of the disease, and even the death of animals and birds. In the vast majority of cases, mycogrugs contaminate products of plant origin. Non-observance of technological regulations during the manufacture of products, untimely harvesting or insufficient drying of it before laying on the storage, maintenance and transportation of products at their insufficient protection against moisture leads to the proliferation of toxic micromycetes. Optimum conditions for the development of these mold fungi are: slightly elevated temperature (about 30°C), together with high humidity (about 85%). Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of microscopic mold fungi. Mycotoxins, in addition to general toxic effects, have mutagenic, teratogenic and carcinogenic properties; even at very low concentrations, they can contribute to the development of toxic effects. The most common in highly toxic foods that present a real danger among all mycotoxins are aflatoxins, sterigmatocysteine, ochratoxin, trichothecene, zearalenone, patulin, citrine, rubatoxin. The main role in solving the problem of preventing the infection of agricultural products with mold fungi, producing mycotoxins, should be given to improving the ways of storing plant material, namely the correct selection of regimes and the conditions for its storage. |
