FOOD MICROBIOLOGY BEH 3535 - Lecturer: Mrs. M.M. Mfune
FOODBORNE FUNGI - Some fungi that contaminate food can also be harmful to human health
- Many fungi also synthesize secondary metabolites, some of which can be harmful.
- Mycotoxins, for example, are major contaminants of crops such as maize, wheat, rice, and numerous other foods
ASPERGILLUS FLAVUS - most widely reported food-borne fungus and is common in grains such as maize, groundnuts
- it produces aflatoxin as a secondary metabolite in the grains both before and after harvest
- Aflatoxin is a potent carcinogen and may result in nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and acute liver injury.
- Long-term exposure also leads to growth retardation, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma
FUSARIUM SPP. - Fusarium spp are toxigenic fungi that naturally contaminate cereals
- Fusarium spp produces a number of mycotoxins including trichothecenes, fumonisins, and zearalenone
- these mycotoxins have also been linked to human diseases and have carcinogenic, mutagenic, estrogenic, hemorrhagic, neurotoxic, hepatotoxic, and immunosuppressive effects
ALTERNARIA SPP. - Alternaria spp is a fungus that has been related to food poisoning due to the production of mycotoxins which include alternariol and alternariol methyl ester
- they colonise a range of plants including cereals, oilseeds, tomatoes, cucumbers, cauliflowers, peppers, apples, melons, tangerines, oranges, lemons, and sunflower seeds
- These mycotoxins can cause mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, induction of DNA strand break, inhibition of enzymes activity
- viral foodborne illnesses are caused by different viruses, which can contaminate foods during all stages of the food supply chain
- unlike other foodborne pathogens, all viruses require a living host in order to replicate and are therefore incapable of multiplying in food.
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