Anumudu Christian Kosisochukwu, Ekwueme Chiemerie T, Uhegwu Chijioke Christopher, Ejileugha Chisom, Augustine Jennifer, Okolo Chioke Amaefuna, Onyeaka Helen
School of Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
Department of Microbiology, Federal University Otuoke, Otuoke 562103, Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
Int J Mol Sci. 2024 Dec 28;26(1):184. doi: 10.3390/ijms26010184.
Fumonisins, a class of mycotoxins predominantly produced by species, represent a major threat to food safety and public health due to their widespread occurrence in staple crops including peanuts, wine, rice, sorghum, and mainly in maize and maize-based food and feed products. Although fumonisins occur in different groups, the fumonisin B series, particularly fumonisin B1 (FB1) and fumonisin B2 (FB2), are the most prevalent and toxic in this group of mycotoxins and are of public health significance due to the many debilitating human and animal diseases and mycotoxicosis they cause and their classification as by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as a class 2B carcinogen (probable human carcinogen). This has made them one of the most regulated mycotoxins, with stringent regulatory limits on their levels in food and feeds destined for human and animal consumption, especially maize and maize-based products. Numerous countries have regulations on levels of fumonisins in foods and feeds that are intended to protect human and animal health. However, there are still gaps in knowledge, especially with regards to the molecular mechanisms underlying fumonisin-induced toxicity and their full impact on human health. Detection of fumonisins has been advanced through various methods, with immunological approaches such as Enzyme-Linked Immuno-Sorbent Assay (ELISA) and lateral flow immunoassays being widely used for their simplicity and adaptability. However, these methods face challenges such as cross-reactivity and matrix interference, necessitating the need for continued development of more sensitive and specific detection techniques. Chromatographic methods, including HPLC-FLD, are also employed in fumonisin analysis but require meticulous sample preparation and derivitization due to the low UV absorbance of fumonisins. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the fumonisin family, focusing on their biosynthesis, occurrence, toxicological effects, and levels of contamination found in foods and the factors affecting their presence. It also critically evaluates the current methods for fumonisin detection and quantification, including chromatographic techniques and immunological approaches such as ELISA and lateral flow immunoassays, highlighting the challenges associated with fumonisin detection in complex food matrices and emphasizing the need for more sensitive, rapid, and cost-effective detection methods.
伏马毒素是一类主要由某些物种产生的霉菌毒素，由于它们广泛存在于包括花生、葡萄酒、大米、高粱在内的主粮作物中，尤其是在玉米以及以玉米为基础的食品和饲料产品中，对食品安全和公众健康构成了重大威胁。尽管伏马毒素有不同的类别，但伏马毒素B系列，特别是伏马毒素B1（FB1）和伏马毒素B2（FB2），在这类霉菌毒素中最为普遍且毒性最强，由于它们会引发许多使人和动物衰弱的疾病以及霉菌毒素中毒，并且被国际癌症研究机构（IARC）归类为2B类致癌物（可能的人类致癌物），因而具有公共卫生意义。这使得它们成为受到最严格监管的霉菌毒素之一，对供人类和动物食用的食品及饲料，尤其是玉米和以玉米为基础的产品中的伏马毒素含量有着严格的监管限制。许多国家都对食品和饲料中的伏马毒素含量制定了法规，旨在保护人类和动物健康。然而，在知识方面仍存在差距，特别是关于伏马毒素诱导毒性的分子机制及其对人类健康的全面影响。通过各种方法，伏马毒素的检测技术有了进展，免疫方法如酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）和侧向流动免疫测定因其简单性和适应性而被广泛使用。然而，这些方法面临交叉反应和基质干扰等挑战，因此需要持续开发更灵敏、更特异的检测技术。色谱方法，包括高效液相色谱 - 荧光检测法（HPLC - FLD），也用于伏马毒素分析，但由于伏马毒素的紫外吸收较低，需要精心的样品制备和衍生化。本综述全面概述了伏马毒素家族，重点关注其生物合成、存在情况、毒理学效应以及在食品中发现的污染水平和影响其存在的因素。它还批判性地评估了当前伏马毒素检测和定量的方法，包括色谱技术以及ELISA和侧向流动免疫测定等免疫方法，强调了在复杂食品基质中检测伏马毒素所面临的挑战，并强调需要更灵敏、快速且经济高效的检测方法。
