Alternaria spp. IN FOODS: MYCOTOXINS, CELLULAR DAMAGE AND POSSIBLE HEALTH RISK

The genus Alternaria is composed of filamentous, dematiaceous, saprophytic and pathogenic fungal species, being responsible for great economic losses during the harvest and food storage. The present study aimed to do a bibliographical survey about the main foods contaminated by Alternaria spp. as well as discuss possible health risks arising from cell damage caused by mycotoxins. It is a literature narrative type review, carried out using Medline/Pubmed, Lilacs, Scielo and Science Direct databases, utilizing documents published between years 2000 and 2017 approaching food contamination by Alternaria spp. A wide diversity of foods contaminated by species of the genus Alternaria was found in literature, with a greater emphasis on cereals, fruits and vegetables. This possible contamination may favor the development of mycotoxins that in their great majority present genotoxic, mutagenic, carcinogenic, cytotoxic and teratogenic action. However, due to a large variety of contaminated foods, that is a necessity to adapt Brazilian legislation regarding parameters that impose limits on the amount of mycotoxins produced by Alternaria spp. since the national legislation does not encompass limits for all types of toxins that this genus is capable of producing.

Plants that can be Poisonous for Cows. A Review

Romania is blessed with a rich spontaneous flora, but some of the plants are toxic by their consumption in cattle, affecting the health, productions and endangering consumer safety. Sometimes even the consumption of small amounts causes poisoning with a broad extension: from mild, moderate to severe and with chronic or acute manifestations. Plant action is not similar. Taxus Buccata, Eupatorium spp. (E. rugosum, E. urticaefolium, E. ogeratoides) are cardiotoxic plants, but, Eupatorium spp. also acts through depression of the central nervous system; Datura stramonium (Jimson weed), Solanum spp. (nightshades), Atropa belladonna (belladonna), are plants with cholinergic blocking; haemolytic anemia is caused by Pteridium aquilinum (Bracken fern) and Equisetum (horsetail). The poisoning with cyanogenic principles occurs at Sorghum spp (Johnson grass, sudan grass); Elderberry consumption, Senecio spp. and Hypericum (St John’s wort) induces liver toxicity. Plants containing alkaloids outside their toxicity also have teratogenic action: Lupinus spp., Nicotiana spp, Conium maculatum, Veratrum album. However, some of these plants can be used in certain cows’ treatments.