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Aflatoxins – although we may not realize it – are very commonly found in the foods we eat. Are they dangerous? Should we pay attention to their excessive presence in the consumed food? Is it possible to neutralize their harmful influence?
What are aflatoxins?
Aflatoxins are produced by mushrooms, including mushrooms overgrowing perishable food. Aflatoxins were discovered in 1960 in Great Britain. They fall into several subtypes, of which the most dangerous one is B1, which has the ability to bind to proteins, including the molecules that make up our DNA strands. For this reason aflatoxins they are extremely dangerous for the functioning of the cells that make up the tissues of our body.
Aflatoxins they are a sub-type of a broader category – mycotoxins – that is, a toxic substance that develops during growth mushrooms filamentous. Especially two common types mushrooms – Aspergillus Flavus and Aspergillus Parasiticus – produce toxins that have a dangerous effect on humans. Mushrooms these are transported in the air and water, and they easily develop in plants with even slightly damaged ones. If the spore fungus penetrates – for example by contact with a cut or broken stem – then the entire plant, including its seeds, can become infected.
Aflatoxins are substances that dissolve neither in water nor in alcohol. They are resistant to high temperatures (up to 270 degrees C), ultraviolet radiation, pressure fluctuations, changes in humidity. Their action within the human body is very negative. They contribute to the formation of neoplasms: they deactivate certain proteins responsible for inhibiting the development of cancer cells, and they also increase the amount of free radicals that are formed, destroying the cells of our tissues.
How can you get infected with aflatoxins?
The most common infection occurs through the ingestion when aflatoxins they are consumed by man with the food in which they were found. First of all, they can contain: cereals, nuts, corn, spices, plant-based oils, dried fruits and vegetables, meat and dairy products of animal origin. It is virtually impossible to eliminate them completely from the food you eat. Unfortunately, durability aflatoxin it is too large that the food itself will not suffer during the disposal process. To prevent their excessive presence in food, follow these guidelines a few simple indications.
First of all, in crops, proven and properly selected varieties of crops should be used. Protective measures should be used to prevent damage to plants (through which fungal spores can penetrate inside them) and the spreading of spores. Agricultural crops should be harvested in a timely manner (the later, the greater the possibility of infection of the fetus with the fungus) and using appropriate methods to protect against potential damage. Also ensuring appropriate storage conditions – at a temperature below 27 degrees C and in rooms with an appropriate level of moisture and airy.
Aflatoxin poisoning
For poisoning aflatoxins it occurs due to the consumption of contaminated food in which they were present. The results are manifold and may depend on the individual predispositions of the individual. On the type symptoms and their intensity is also influenced by the dose of toxins consumed and the frequency of ingesting contaminated food. Most often aflatoxins they attack internal organs – the liver, kidneys – and also affect the work of the central nervous system. symptoms on the other hand, they concern the lungs, in which swelling may appear. Dangerous internal bleeding can also occur. There are also typical ones symptoms food poisoning: vomiting, abdominal pain, stomach tightness, nausea. Also skin changes (the appearance of a yellow shade), convulsions and coma can be symptoms of aflatoxin poisoning.
If we eat poisoned food for an extended period of time, regularly, then symptoms may take the form of cirrhosis of specific internal organs. It may also cause allergy, changes in consciousness and psychedelic states, and in the case of children, disturbances in the course of mental development.
Watch out for aflactosin!
So if you have bad eating habits, for example: you sometimes eat spoiled food, or simply cut off a spoiled piece of tomato or waffle and eat a healthy part – it’s time to change it. They are present in all spoiled food aflatoxins, not only in the part that is already covered with mold. Therefore, you should pay special attention to freshness and quality the products we eat. Especially if they are products with a short shelf life – such as dairy products, fruit, vegetables, meat. If the first spots of mold appear, the product should be discarded completely. Remember that by consuming it, you let the completely unwanted into your body aflatoxins.