Fungal Pathogen and Mycotoxin Management in Agriculture and Food Processing

Abstract

Fungi may cause significant food deterioration over a wide range of agricultural crops and food items. During fungus colonise the food materials, they release poisonous secondary chemicals known as mycotoxins. These are strong toxins that are carcinogenic, teratogenic, and mutagenic, which is give health implications for humans. Mycotoxin contamination is increasingly common in agricultural goods. Mycotoxins are produced by a number of fungi on agricultural goods during or after harvest, and they are extremely harmful to both humans and animals. Aspergillus species produce aflatoxins and ochratoxins, Penicillium produces ochratoxins and patulin, and Fusarium species produce fumonisins, deoxynivalenol, and zearalenone. These are the most common mycotoxins detected in food items. A number of acute and chronic disorders in humans and domestic animals are caused by fumonisins, patulin, aflatoxins, and ochratoxins, among other substances. Mycotoxins have been measured in dietary items like cereals, nuts, spices, dried fruits and coffee, posing potential health risks. Detoxification techniques are need to management of mycotoxins and enhance food product quality and longevity. This study focusses on examined innovative preventative methods for controlling fungi and mycotoxins that might jeopardise food safety and consumer health. As a result, among the green and emerging technologies examined were ionising and non-ionizing radiation, cold plasma, pulsed light, ultrasonic, pulsed electric field, and high-pressure processing. The main effects of using these novel technologies are destroy the structure of mycotoxins, significantly reduce the growth of mycotoxigenic fungus, and greatly preserve the nutritional value of food.