Reproductive, gestational, and fetal alterations induced by dietary mycotoxins: A systematic review

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Mycotoxins are low molecular weight secondary metabolites produced by some fungi genera, such as Aspergillus, Penicillium, Alternaria, Fusarium, and Claviceps, during their growth in foods. These molecules share several common characteristics, including toxicity, carcinogenesis, and teratogenesis in animals and humans. This review addresses the reproductive, gestational and fetal changes induced by ochratoxin A, fumonisins, zearalenone, patulin, deoxynivalenol, and T-2 toxin. A systematic evaluation of scientific articles was conducted on research portals PubMed and Google Scholar using keywords related to the topic. The research articles revealed all the characteristics of toxicity, carcinogenesis, and teratogenesis available in the literature, indicating a growing academic and scientific concern in the deposition of information about these mycotoxins.

Keywords

• Mycotoxin-induced gestational alterations
• mycotoxin-induced fetal alterations
• mycotoxin-induced reproductive alterations
• deoxynivalenol
• fumonisins
• ochratoxin A
• patulin
• T-2 toxin
• zearalenone