Biology What are Mycotoxins - 823 Words

Mycotoxins Risk identification Next to dioxins and dioxin-like compounds, mycotoxins belong to the potential chemical hazards related to animal feed of poultry. Mycotoxins are toxic compounds which are produced by several species of fungi genera such as Fusarium, Aspergillus and Penicillium. Production can occur before harvesting or during storage, is determined by environmental factors such as temperature and humidity and is mainly occurring in cereals and ground nuts. Usually, mycotoxins enter the food chain by contaminated feed [73]. Worldwide, incidences of mycotoxins in feed are quite common and might pose a concern for human health. A well-known case of mycotoxins contamination of feed, which was the start of a raised concern about the health risks of mycotoxins, was the Turkey-X disease from the early 1960s [74]. In this case, groundnut cake, contaminated with cyclopiazonic acid and aflatoxins, produced by Aspergillus flavus, caused wide-ranging disease and death in turkeys [75]. As illustrated in the case, mycotoxin-containing feed can have serious effects on the health of animals after ingestion. The remaining question for this risk assessment is however whether mycotoxins may end up in the meat of animals, meant for human consumption, and have an effect on human health after ingestion in this way. Observations of aflatoxin- and ochratoxin residues in edible tissues of chicken broilers show that these mycotoxins are relevant in this risk assessment [76]. OtherShow MoreRelatedWhat Does Biotechnology Entail?1393 Words   |  6 PagesWhat is biotechnology? Biotechnology is the use of cellular and biomolecular processes in modern technology in order to reduce the use of chemicals and other harmful products. This not only can improve our own lives, but also make our planet a better place and our future a little less bleak. But what does biotechnology entail? And how long has it been around? As you will recall, we discussed the like of bread and cheese previously. Simply put, that is biotechnology†¦ at its oldest of around 6Read More Pesticides: Feeding the World Essay2836 Words   |  12 Pagesfeed a doubled world population. Plant geneticists are creating hybrid plants that have higher yields and more resistance to unwanted and harmful organisms. Even with the new plants, pesticides must be applied to reap the hybrids full potential. What follows is some common misconceptions about pesticides and their use. Humans ingest about 10,000 times more naturally occurring pesticides than they do man-made ones. In fact, the risk you expose yourself to by drinking a daily glass of apple juiceRead MoreGmos : Genetically Modified Organisms2132 Words   |  9 PagesA concern that is growing is what we are eating and how it is affecting us. A lot of food is processed today, causing concerns about GMOs. GMOs stands for genetically modified organisms; this means a living organism’s genetic material has been artificially changed in a laboratory. GMOs are combinations of plant, animal, bacteria, and viral genes that do not occur naturally or even through â€Å"traditional crossbreeding† methods. Many people have questions and concerns about GMOs, and more and more peopleRead MoreEssay on Biological Warfare: Testing and Researching Toxins2832 Words   |  12 Pagesproducing of biological agents would cease attacks in other countries continued but whether they were deployed by the U.S. is still questionable. In Southeast Asia, between the years of 1974 and 1981 yellow rain technically named trichothecene mycotoxins, killed thousands of people. Another attack occurred in 1978 against a man named Georgi Markov. He was killed when an umbrella gun filled with a toxin called ricin landed in his thigh. More recent uses and production of biological warfareRead MoreJeanne Harley Guillemin on Biological Weapons3027 Words   |  12 Pagessticks to outside surfaces, and if humans are exposed to the substance, it can result in a wide range of incapacitating symptoms, sometimes ultimately death. It was assumed that the Soviets aided the Laotian army by allowing them to implement deadly mycotoxins to assault Hmong refugee allies of the United States during the Vietnam War. In 1992, Guillemin joined Meselson’s investigation of the 1979 outbreak of anthrax in Sverdlovsk. The Soviet Union claimed that the cause of the outbreak was infectedRead MoreFood and Industrial Microbiology6654 Words   |  27 Pagesmicroorganisms to get inside the can. They can grow in the food and cause different types of spoilage depending upon the microbial types. Contamination with pathogens will make the product unsafe. Major Food Borne Infections/ Intoxications Caused by Bacteria What is food borne disease? Safe, nutritious foods are essential to human health and well-being. However, food-borne diseases pose a significant problem worldwide. Foodborne disease is any illness resulting from 18 the consumption of food contaminated