Aflatoxins: History, Significant Milestones, Recent Data on Their Toxicity and Ways to Mitigation

Darina Pickova; Vladimir Ostry; Jakub Toman; Frantisek Malir

doi:10.3390/toxins13060399

journal article Open Access Jun 03, 2021

Aflatoxins: History, Significant Milestones, Recent Data on Their Toxicity and Ways to Mitigation

Darina Pickova

Vladimir Ostry

Jakub Toman

Frantisek Malir

Toxins Vol. 13 No. 6 pp. 399 · MDPI AG

View at Publisher Save 10.3390/toxins13060399

Abstract

In the early 1960s the discovery of aflatoxins began when a total of 100,000 turkey poults died by hitherto unknown turkey “X” disease in England. The disease was associated with Brazilian groundnut meal affected by Aspergillus flavus. The toxin was named Aspergillus flavus toxin—aflatoxin. From the point of view of agriculture, aflatoxins show the utmost importance. Until now, a total of 20 aflatoxins have been described, with B1, B2, G1, and G2 aflatoxins being the most significant. Contamination by aflatoxins is a global health problem. Aflatoxins pose acutely toxic, teratogenic, immunosuppressive, carcinogenic, and teratogenic effects. Besides food insecurity and human health, aflatoxins affect humanity at different levels, such as social, economical, and political. Great emphasis is placed on aflatoxin mitigation using biocontrol methods. Thus, this review is focused on aflatoxins in terms of historical development, the principal milestones of aflatoxin research, and recent data on their toxicity and different ways of mitigation.

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Details

Published: Jun 03, 2021
Vol/Issue: 13(6)
Pages: 399
License: View

Authors

D

Darina Pickova

Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Kralove, Rokitanskeho 62, CZ-50003 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic

V

Vladimir Ostry

Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Kralove, Rokitanskeho 62, CZ-50003 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic; Center for Health, Nutrition and Food in Brno, National Institute of Public Health in Prague, Palackeho 3a, CZ-61242 Brno, Czech Republic

J

Jakub Toman

Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Kralove, Rokitanskeho 62, CZ-50003 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic

F

Frantisek Malir

Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Kralove, Rokitanskeho 62, CZ-50003 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic

Funding

Specific research project of the Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic Award: 2115/2020

Ministry of Health, Czech Republic: National Institute of Public Health Award: NIPH, IN 75010330

Cite This Article

Darina Pickova, Vladimir Ostry, Jakub Toman, et al. (2021). Aflatoxins: History, Significant Milestones, Recent Data on Their Toxicity and Ways to Mitigation. Toxins, 13(6), 399. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13060399

Aflatoxins: History, Significant Milestones, Recent Data on Their Toxicity and Ways to Mitigation

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