Aflatoxins

Author: Rusudan Tsintsadze
Keywords: Aflatoxins, Aspergillus Flavus, mycotoxins
Annotation:

Aflatoxins are a group of mycotoxins that are mainly produced by fungi of the Aspergillus species. They are poisonous carcinogens and mutagens. Aflatoxins, on a worldwide scale, are considered the most important mycotoxins in human food and animal feed due to their hepatotoxicity and carcinogenicity. These fungi typically infect cereal crops including wheat, sorghum, corn, cotton, peanuts, and walnuts. This text discuss the main class of fungi producing aflatoxins - Aspergillus, the main types of aflatoxins, their general overview, structure and related regulations.