Veterinarska stanica, Vol. 51 No. 6, 2020.
Review article
https://doi.org/10.46419/vs.51.6.8
Climate change - A potential threat for increasing occurrences of mycotoxins
Jelka Pleadin
orcid.org/0000-0002-0768-0462
; Croatian Veterinary Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
Manuela Zadravec
; Croatian Veterinary Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
Tina Lešić
; Croatian Veterinary Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
Jadranka Frece
; Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Višnja Vasilj
; Faculty of Agriculture and Food Technology, University of Mostar, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Ksenija Markov
; Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Over the last decade, scientists have increasingly pointed to global warming, linking climate change to a new structure of mycotoxin-producing mould species across the world. In the future, more pronounced climate changes may alter host resistance and host-pathogen interaction, and have a significant impact on the development of toxicogenic moulds and the production of mycotoxins as their secondary metabolites. The newly emerging climatological situation is attracting increasing attention, demanding new diagnostic tools and new insights into the biological characteristics of cultivated
crops and the genetics of toxicogenic moulds. In Europe, the climate conditions are highly favourable for the growth of Aspergillus flavus, bringing increased future risk of contamination of cereals with highly
toxic aflatoxins. Meanwhile, the profile of mycotoxigenic species of Fusarium is beginning to change significantly, and increased reports
of contamination with F. graminearum in northern and central Europe are particularly worrisome. Given the obvious climate change,
further research is needed that will include predictive models with several variables, to provide an appropriate future approach to the
strategy of preventing contamination by toxic moulds and mycotoxins in food and feed.
Keywords
climate change; mycotoxins; moulds; environmental conditions; geographical areas; prevention
Hrčak ID:
243743
URI
Publication date:
1.10.2020.
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