mycotoxins

food feed

daily intake

ochratoxin ota

alternaria toxins

aflatoxin aflatoxicosis

Food and Chemical Toxicology

Human exposure to mycotoxins occurs mostly through dietary intake, although exposure through dermal and inhalation routes has also been shown. Depending on the type of mycotoxins, the applied dose and duration of exposure, a particular toxin can cause either chronic or acute illnesses such as kidney failure and cancer. Thus, understanding the biotransformation of mycotoxins and identification of reliable biomarkers in the human body is important for accurate risk assessment of mycotoxin exposure. This review provides a comprehensive overview of worldwide aflatoxins, fumonisins, ochratoxin, zearalenone and deoxynivalenol mycotoxin biomonitoring studies reported in the last 18 years. The studies performed in Africa, Europe, Asia and America are based on the measurement of a limited number of mycotoxin biomarkers and do not provide a comprehensive risk assessment of the mycotoxin exposure. Although the findings represent a small segment of a much larger health risk of mycotoxins exposure, it is acknowledged that a multianalyte approach covering bioconjugated and other metabolites of most often occurring mycotoxins would better reflect the extent of the global exposure problems with these highly toxic compounds. • Human exposure to mycotoxins is one of the major food borne health concerns worldwide. • Understanding mycotoxin metabolism and pharmacokinetics is crucial for biomarker selection. • Biomonitoring studies worldwide are needed for the exposure risk assessment. • Multi-analyte approaches will improve the risk assessment of mycotoxins exposure. • Assessment of mycotoxins biomarkers in different body fluids is important to get all aspects of mycotoxin exposure.

Aflatoxin, fumonisin, ochratoxin, zearalenone and deoxynivalenol biomarkers in human biological fluids: A systematic literature review, 2001–2018