Fusarium Mycotoxins in Food

Fusarium species infect crop plants worldwide in moderate climate zones. Fusarium head blight, a well-known crop disease, is caused by different Fusarium species and can result in yield loss and reduced grain quality. Fungal infection of cereals, such as barley, wheat, and maize, is often accompanied by mycotoxin contamination and, hence, affects especially human and animal diets. Fusarium mycotoxins can be categorized in four major groups: Trichothecenes, zearalenone, fumonisins, and enniatins. In this chapter, the discovery, chemical structure, biosynthetic pathway, toxicology, analysis, occurrence, and legislation of Fusarium toxins are described. The formation, metabolism, and toxicologic relevance of modified mycotoxins are also considered.