Research update on aflatoxins toxicity, metabolism, distribution, and detection: A concise overview

Vesna Jaćević; Jelena Dumanović; Suliman Y Alomar; Radmila Resanović; Zoran Milovanović; Eugenie Nepovimova; Qinghua Wu; Tanos Celmar Costa Franca; Wenda Wu; Kamil Kuča

doi:10.1016/j.tox.2023.153549

Research update on aflatoxins toxicity, metabolism, distribution, and detection: A concise overview

Toxicology. 2023 Jun 15:492:153549. doi: 10.1016/j.tox.2023.153549. Epub 2023 May 18.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department for Experimental Toxicology and Pharmacology, National Poison Control Centre, Military Medical Academy, Crnotravska 17, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; Medical Faculty of the Military Medical Academy, University of Defence, Crnotravska 17, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Kralove, Rokitanského 62, 500 03 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic. Electronic address: v_jacevic@yahoo.com.
² Medical Faculty of the Military Medical Academy, University of Defence, Crnotravska 17, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Belgrade, 11158 Belgrade, Serbia.
³ King Saud University, College of Science, Zoology Department, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bulevar Oslobođenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
⁵ Special Police Unit, Ministry of Interior, Trebevićka 12/A, 11 030 Belgrade, Serbia.
⁶ Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Kralove, Rokitanského 62, 500 03 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic.
⁷ Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Kralove, Rokitanského 62, 500 03 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic; College of Life Science, Yangtze University, 1 Nanhuan Road, 434023 Jingzhou, Hubei, China.
⁸ Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Kralove, Rokitanského 62, 500 03 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic; Laboratory of Molecular Modeling Applied to the Chemical and Biological Defense, Military Institute of Engineering, Praça General Tibúrcio 80, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 22290-270, Brazil.
⁹ Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Kralove, Rokitanského 62, 500 03 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic; School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China; MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
¹⁰ Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Kralove, Rokitanského 62, 500 03 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic; Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, 50005 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic.

PMID: 37209941
DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2023.153549

Abstract

Serious health risks associated with the consumption of food products contaminated with aflatoxins (AFs) are worldwide recognized and depend predominantly on consumed AF concentration by diet. A low concentration of aflatoxins in cereals and related food commodities is unavoidable, especially in subtropic and tropic regions. Accordingly, risk assessment guidelines established by regulatory bodies in different countries help in the prevention of aflatoxin intoxication and the protection of public health. By assessing the maximal levels of aflatoxins in food products which are a potential risk to human health, it's possible to establish appropriate risk management strategies. Regarding, a few factors are crucial for making a rational risk management decision, such as toxicological profile, adequate information concerning the exposure duration, availability of routine and some novel analytical techniques, socioeconomic factors, food intake patterns, and maximal allowed levels of each aflatoxin in different food products which may be varied between countries.

Keywords: Aflatoxins; Detection; Health risk; Measurement; Toxicity.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aflatoxins* / analysis
Aflatoxins* / metabolism
Aflatoxins* / toxicity
Diet
Food
Food Contamination* / prevention & control
Humans
Risk Assessment

Substances

Aflatoxins