Mycotoxins are group of compounds produced by some strains of certain fungi that cause illness or death when ingested by man or animals. They are low molecular weight, non-antigenic, heat stable secondary fungal metabolites.

1. Presentation on
MYCOTOXINS
BY,AYUSHI
SHARMA

2. 01 02 03 04
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
05
CLINICAL
MANIFESTATIONS
TYPES OF
MYCOTOXINS
IMPACT OF
MYCOTOXINS ON
HUMAN & ANIMAL
PREVENTION
& CONTROL

3.  The term mycotoxin is derived from the Greek
word – ‘mykes’ meaning ‘fungus’ and the Latin
word – ‘toxicum’ meaning ‘poison’.
 Mycotoxins are group of compounds produced by
some strains of certain fungi that cause illness or
death when ingested by man or animals.
 They are low molecular weight, non-antigenic,
heat stable secondary fungal metabolites.
 Poisoning by mycotoxins is called mycotoxicosis.
 Each toxin affects specific target organs or tissues.
INTRODUCTION

4. Clinical manifestations
of Mycotoxins
• Mycotoxin causes four kinds of toxicity: acute,
chronic, mutagenic and teratogenic.
• Acute toxicity poisoning is the most commonly
occurring effect that damages the liver and kidney
with the death of a patient in extreme cases.
• The common symptom of mycotoxicoses is food
poisoning illnesses like vomiting, diarrhea,
abdominal pain, fever, chronic fatigue, skin rashes,
insomnia, depression, anxiety.
• Other chronic toxicity severe effects are
carcinogenicity, skin necrosis, leucopenia,
autoimmune diseases, neurological issues, chronic
organ damages and static shocks.

6. 1. AFLATOXINS
 It is produced by Aspergillus flavus, A.
parasiticus and some Penicillium spp.
 It is located from variety of mold contaminated food
like peanuts, rice etc.
 Two major types of toxin include B1 and G1 that show
blue and green fluorescence when exposed to UV
lights.
 Other types of aflatoxin include B2, G2, M1, M2, and
P1 which are derivatives of B1 and G1.
 Among them B1 is most toxic.
 After ingestion, aflatoxin binds to chromosomal DNA
and causes point mutation and frame-shift mutation.
 By inducing mutation, they cause cancer of liver.
 Aflatoxin is toxic to wide variety of animals like cat,
chicken, cattle, human beings etc.

7. 2. OCHRATOXIN
• There are atleast seven types of structurally related ochratoxin,
of which type A is the most common and most toxic.
• Ochratoxin A pollutes agricultural products and due to its growth
in food, represents a serious danger equally to human and animal
health globally.
• It is produced by many Aspergillus and Penicillium species like- A.
ochraceus, A. alliaceous, A. mellis, P. viridicatum, P.cycloplum.
• Among three Ochratoxins A is most common and toxic compound
found in cereals, barley, nuts, dried fruits, porcine kidney, beer,
coffee beans, wines and moldy bread .
• Like other mycotoxin, it is heat stable and is not damaged during
cooking of food.
• When ochratoxin is ingested it induces mitosis and cause cancer
of kidney.

8. 3. FUMONISINS
• Fusarium fungal pathogens such as F.
verticillioides,F.
proliferatum and Alternaria alternata f.
sp. lycopersici produce fumonisin toxins.
• The major substrate of fumonisin is corn-
based products and when consumed
causes pulmonary edema, kidney and liver
cancer.
• Fumonisin B1 is responsible for animal
diseases such as encephalomalacia in
horses and hepatocarcinoma in rats.
• Fumonisins may found in different food
entities like barley, wheat, millet, oat and
maize and concerned products.

9. 4. ZEARALENONE
• Zearalenone (ZEN), also known as RAL and F-2 mycotoxin , is a
potent estrogenic metabolite produced by some Fusarium
and Gibberella species.
• Zearalenone is heat-stable and is found worldwide in a number
of cereal crops, such as maize , barley , oats , wheat , rice
and sorghum.
• Zearalenone is a white crystalline solid, with molecular formula
C18H22O5 and 318.364 g/mol molecular weight.
• When humans ingest corn, wheat, or another grain that is
infested with zearalenone toxins, or they eat meat that came
from a pig, cow, or chicken that consumed infested feed, the
mycotoxins can enter our bodies., the result can be chronic
illness.