Fumonisins: A review on its global occurrence, epidemiology, toxicity and detection

Fumonisins are the phytotoxic mycotoxins mainly synthesized by species of Fusarium such as by F. verticillioides (formerly Fusarium moniliforme=Gibberella fujikuroi), F. proliferatum, F. anthophilum, F. nygamai, F. oxysporum, F. globosum and other species like Alternaria alternate among which F. verticillioides is the worldwide recognized species in production of fumonisin in association with cereals and cereal based food products. Worldwide contamination of foods and feeds with mycotoxins is a significant problem. Corn based foods and animal feeds are mainly associated with fumonisins due to N-fatty acylated fumonisin estimating free FB1 and total bound FB1 in corn foods and thebinding of fumonisins to cholestyramine which is a potential means of detoxification of animal feed. The economic impact of mycotoxins includes loss of human and animal life, increased health care and veterinary care costs, reduced livestock production, disposal of contaminated foods and feeds. Fumonisins arehighly carcinogenic, hepatotoxic, nephrotoxic and embryotoxic in animals and in humans fumonisins are associated with oesophageal cancer and neural tube defects