Acta Chimica Slovaca (ACS) publishes papers on fundamental and applied aspects of chemistry, biochemistry, chemical technology, chemical engineering and process control, biotechnology and food technology. Welcome are also topics which include chemical aspects of materials, physical chemistry and chemical physics, analytical chemistry, macromolecular chemistry and biomedical engineering.

Aflatoxins: biosynthesis, prevention and eradication

Juliana Šimončicová *, Barbora Kaliňáková, Svetlana Kryštofová

Institute of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava

E-mail: * juliana.simoncicova@stuba.sk

Abstract: Filamentous fungi belonging to Aspergilli genera produce many compounds through various biosynthetic pathways. These compounds include a spectrum of products with beneficial medical properties (lovastatin) as well as those that are toxic and/or carcinogenic which are called mycotoxins. Aspergillus flavus, one of the most abundant soil-borne fungi, is a saprobe that is able growing on many organic nutrient sources, such as peanuts, corn and cotton seed. In many countries, food contamination by A. flavus is a huge problem, mainly due to the production of the most toxic and carcinogenic compounds known as aflatoxins. In this paper, we briefly cover current progress in aflatoxin biosynthesis and regulation, pre- and postharvest preventive measures, and decontamination procedures.

Keywords: aflatoxins, Aspergillus flavus, mycotoxin

Full paper in Portable Document Format: acs_0283.pdf

Acta Chimica Slovaca, Vol. 10, No. 2, 2017, pp. 123—131, DOI: 10.1515/acs-2017-0021