The Fight Against Mycotoxins for Health
2022-04-07, 15:34
Today is World Health Day, so it's worth addressing a topic that is growing in relation to climate change and poses a threat to the health of humans and livestock: mycotoxins. These are toxic substances produced by certain species of fungi (molds). They can cause serious diseases and even death.
The name "mycotoxin" comes from the words "mycos," meaning fungus, and "toxicum," meaning poison because they are some of the most toxic substances on Earth and can be present in our food, such as grains, flour, vegetables, and fruits. They are formed in the field, during harvesting, or during storage. Cooking, frying, and most forms of chemical treatment do not destroy them, and they are generally not affected by UV radiation.
Mycotoxins are mainly produced by fungal species from the genera Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, Rhizoctonia, Claviceps, and Stachybotrys. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), among the hundreds of mycotoxins, ochratoxin A, aflatoxins, zearalenone, deoxynivalenol, patulin, fumonisins, and T-2 and HT-2 toxins deserve special attention. The most favorable temperature range for mycotoxin formation is between 20-25 °C.
These harmful substances, which can cause allergies and various deadly diseases in humans, such as strokes, cancer, liver and pancreatic damage, often develop inside seemingly healthy fruits and vegetables. Therefore, if we notice any signs of mold, for example, on corn, tomatoes, or other food, we should discard them instead of cutting out the moldy parts.
It's also important to remember that food without harmful additives usually has a much shorter shelf life and is more susceptible to mold growth since the preservatives used in the food industry significantly inhibit mold development. So, pay attention to the condition of the products you consume to avoid consuming apparently healthy food that turns out to be poisonous.
Approximately 25% of the world's grain production is contaminated with mycotoxins. Due to their harmful effects and economic losses, mycotoxins have become part of the strategic goals of the European Food Safety Authority. Only an integrated combat program will yield results. Prevention and prediction are crucial.
The BIOmesh team, in collaboration with scientists from the Institute of Plant Breeding and Acclimatization (IHAR-PIB) and the National Veterinary Research Institute in Pulawy (PIWet-PIB), as well as experts in Artificial Intelligence, is currently working on creating the intelligent BIOmesh platform. This platform will enable monitoring, planning, prediction, and alerting of the risk of mold occurrence in products up to two weeks in advance.
The project is in line with the EU's "Farm to Fork" strategy and is being carried out with support from the European Union funds under the Eastern Poland Development Operational Program. It was previously developed within the framework of the Unicorn Hub Startup Program.
