Mycotoxin exposure among the French population. National Biomonitoring Program, Esteban 2014–2016

Mycotoxins are substances secreted by certain toxin-producing strains of various species of molds (microscopic fungi), such as Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, Byssochlamys, Alternaria, etc., which contaminate grains and plants before and/or after harvest. The toxicity of mycotoxins depends on the species and the nature of the toxin. They are generally heat-stable, resistant to processing, and can be found in many food products, causing acute or chronic poisoning in humans or animals. Of the 300 to 400 known mycotoxins, about ten can cause animal or human diseases: aflatoxins (AF), ochratoxin A (OTA), fumonisins, deoxynivalenol (DON), T-2 and HT-2 toxins, trichothecenes (TC), zearalenone (ZEN), and patulins, which contaminate fruits, particularly apples. In 1993, the IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) classified aflatoxins as Group 1 carcinogens for humans; AFB1, considered one of the most potent natural genotoxic carcinogens, is classified as Group 1 (IARC, 2002). The target organ is the liver. As for OTA, it is considered possibly carcinogenic to humans and classified in Group 2B (1993); in humans as well as in animals, the kidney is the primary target organ. OTA is also believed to have immunotoxic and neurotoxic effects. Due to their harmful effects, exposure to mycotoxins must be kept as low as possible to protect the population. The WHO encourages monitoring of mycotoxin levels in food because they pose a risk to human and animal health. In France, data on mycotoxin exposure among the French population are virtually nonexistent, with the exception of a study conducted in three French regions [1, 2]. The Esteban cross-sectional study (Health Study on the Environment, Biomonitoring, Physical Activity, and Nutrition) measured levels of exposure to aflatoxins and OTA in the population of mainland France aged 6 to 74 years between April 2014 and March 2016. The purpose of this report is to present the results of exposure to AFs and OTA and to analyze the determinants of OTA exposure among adults. Aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2, and M1 were not quantified in either children or adults. For OTA, the quantification rate was 45.5% in children and 47.8% in adults. The geometric means of OTA exposure levels were below the LOQ or not provided due to the high censoring rate. The investigation of determinants of OTA exposure, primarily dietary, in adults showed an increase in exposure with the consumption of processed meats. It is likely that not all associations could be identified due to the small sample size. A future biomonitoring study could allow for a more in-depth investigation of the determinants of the observed exposure levels and expand knowledge of the French population’s exposure to other mycotoxins.

Author(s): Oleko Amivi, Hoang Phan, Fillol Clémence, Gane Jessica, Saoudi Abdessattar, Zeghnoun Abdelkrim

Publishing year: 2022

Pages: 35 p.

Collection: Studies and Surveys

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