Mycotoxins: Their implications for human and animal health |
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| Authors: | Johanna Fink‐Grernmels |
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| Institution: | Division of Veterinary Pharmacy, Pharmacology and Toxicology , Utrecht University , P.O.Box 80.152, Utrecht, NL‐3508 TD, the Netherlands Phone: ** 31 30 2535453 Fax: ** 31 30 2535453 E-mail: J.Fink@vfft.vet.uu.nl. |
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| Abstract: | Abstract Mycotoxins contaminate various feed and food commodities, due to the global occurrence of toxinogenic molds. They exert adverse health effects in human and animals. The nature of these toxic effects varies depending on the chemical structure of the toxin. The degree of these adverse effects is not only determined by the toxin concentration present in foods and feeds, but also by the time of exposure. Whilst in animals, next to acute intoxication, losses in productivity, reduced weight gain and immunosuppression are considered as most important feature of mycotoxicoses, genotoxic effects and the involvement of certain mycotoxins such as aflatoxin, ochratoxins and fumonisins in the etiology of human cancers have obtained particular attention. This implies that recent research activities concentrate on mechanistic aspects of mycotoxin‐ induced pathologies, rather than compiling analytical measures of mycotoxin concentrations in food and feeds. |
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