Aflatoxins are a group of polyketide mycotoxins that are produced mainly by members of the genus Aspergillus. Production of these toxic secondary metabolites is closely related to fungal development (Keller et al., 2005; Jamali et al., 2012). Contamination of food, feed and agricultural commodities by aflatoxins poses enormous economic and serious health concerns because these chemicals are highly carcinogenic and can directly influence the structure of DNA. The resulting genetic defects can lead to fetal misdevelopment and miscarriages; aflatoxins are also known to suppress immune systems (Razzaghi-Abyaneh et al., 2013). In a global context, aflatoxin contamination is a constant concern between the 35N and 35S latitude where developing countries are mainly situated. With expanding boundaries of developing countries, aflatoxin contamination has become a persistent problem to those emerging areas (Shams-Ghahfarokhi et al., 2013). The continuing threat by aflatoxin contamination of food, feed and agricultural commodities to the world population has made aflatoxin research one of the most exciting and rapidly developing study areas of microbial toxins. The present research topic includes six review articles, three mini reviews and four original research articles. Contributors highlight current global health issues arising from aflatoxins and aflatoxigenic fungi and cover important aspects of aflatoxin research including contamination of crops, epidemiology, molecular biology and management strategies. Special attention is given to fungus-plant host interactions, biodiversity and biocontrol, sexual recombination in aflatoxigenic aspergilli, potential biomarkers for aflatoxin exposure in humans and safe storage programs.

Foodborne illnesses are a global public health concern with implications worldwide. Mycotoxins are naturally occurring toxins produced by microfungi that are capable of causing disease and death in. living organisms. They are recognized as a major economic problem due to their impact on human health, animal productivity, and.domestic and.international.trade. This book provides updated information about foodborne mycotoxins, their toxicities, new determination methods, prevention strategies, and regulations around the world.

The paper uses a food systems approach to analyze the bidirectional relationships between climate change and food and nutrition along the entire food value chain. It then identifies adaptation and mitigation interventions for each step of the food value chain to move toward a more climate-smart, nutrition-sensitive food system. The study focuses on poor rural farmers, a population especially vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change on nutrition, although we recognize that there are other vulnerable populations, including urban poor and rural populations working outside of agriculture. Although this report does not explicitly exclude overweight and obesity, it focuses primarily on undernutrition because this nutritional status is currently more prevalent than overnutrition among our target population.

This book presents a detailed overview and critical evaluation of recent advances and remaining challenges in improving nutritional quality and/or avoiding the accumulation of undesirable substances in plants using a variety of strategies based on modern biological tools and techniques. Each review chapter provides an authoritative and insightful account of the various aspects of nutritional enhancement of plants. In the course of the last two decades, several food crops rich in macro- and micronutrients have been developed to improve health and protect a large section of the populace in developing countries from chronic diseases. Providing extensive information on these developments, this book offers a valuable resource for all researchers, students and industrialists working in agriculture, the plant sciences, agronomy, horticulture, biotechnology, food and nutrition, and the soil and environmental sciences.

Methods in microbial systematics have developed and changed significantly in the last 40 years. This has resulted in considerable change in both the defining microbial species and the methods required to make reliable identifications. Developments in information technology have enabled ready access to vast amounts of new and historic data online. Establishing both the relevance, and the most appropriate use, of this data is now a major consideration when undertaking identifications and systematic research. This book provides some insights into how current methods and resources are being used in microbial systematics, together with some thoughts and suggestions as to how both methodologies and concepts may develop in the future.

Encyclopedia of Food Chemistry, Three Volume Set is the ideal primer for food scientists, researchers, students and young professionals who want to acquaint themselves with food chemistry. Well-organized, clearly written, and abundantly referenced, the book provides a foundation for readers to understand the principles, concepts, and techniques used in food chemistry applications. Articles are written by international experts and cover a wide range of topics, including food chemistry, food components and their interactions, properties (flavor, aroma, texture) the structure of food, functional foods, processing, storage, nanoparticles for food use, antioxidants, the Maillard and Strecker reactions, process derived contaminants, and the detection of economically-motivated food adulteration. The encyclopedia will provide readers with an introduction to specific topics within the wider context of food chemistry, as well as helping them identify the links between the various sub-topics. Offers readers a comprehensive understanding of food chemistry and the various connections between the sub-topics Provides an authoritative introduction for non-specialists and readers from undergraduate levels and upwards Meticulously organized, with articles structured logically based on the various elements of food chemistry

Aflatoxins are a naturally occurring carcinogenic byproduct of common fungi on grains and other crops, particularly maize and groundnuts. They pose a significant public health risk in many tropical developing countries and are also a barrier to the growth of domestic and international commercial markets for food and feed. In recent years the aflatoxin problem has garnered greatly increased attention from both policy and donor communities around the globe. What can be done to reduce the detrimental impacts of aflatoxins? Because growth of the molds that produce aflatoxins is caused by multiple factors, and because they must be controlled along the entire value chain from production to consumption, only a robust multifaceted approach to controlling aflatoxins is likely to be effective. The nineteen briefs in this set thus provide different perspectives on aflatoxin risks and solutions. The analyses fall under four broad themes: (1) what is known about the health risks from aflatoxins; (2) how to overcome market constraints to improved aflatoxin control by building new market channels and incentives; (3) what is the international policy context for taking action in developing countries; and (4) what is the state of research on new aflatoxin control technologies, including new methods for aflatoxin detection, crop breeding, biological control, food storage and handling, and postharvest mitigation. These briefs collectively provide a much clearer picture of the state of current efforts at combatting aflatoxins. They also identify what gaps loom particularly large—including the need for contry-specific risk analysis and for testing integrated solutions for the entire supply chain—in our global efforts to effectively reduce human exposure to aflatoxins and increase the economic returns to smallholders in agriculture.

Ensuring Global Food Safety: Exploring Global Harmonization, Second Edition, examines the policies and practices of food law which remain top contributors to food waste. This fully revised and updated edition offers a rational and multifaceted approach to the science-based issue of "what is safe for consumption?" and how creating a globally acceptable framework of microbiological, toxicological and nutritional standards can contribute to the alleviation of hunger and food insecurity in the world. Currently, many laws and regulations are so stringent that healthy food is destroyed based on scientifically incorrect information upon which laws and regulations are based. This book illuminates these issues, offering guidelines for moving toward a scientifically sound approach to food safety regulation that can also improve food security without putting consumers at risk. - Presents the progress and current status of regulatory harmonization for food standards - Provides a science-based foundation for global regulatory consensus - Approaches challenges from a risk-benefit approach, also including safety assurance - Includes global perspectives from governmental, academic and industry experts

This Edited Volume Mycotoxins - Impact and Management Strategies is a collection of reviewed and relevant research chapters, offering a comprehensive overview of recent developments in the field of Mycotoxicology. The book comprises of single chapters authored by various researchers and edited by an expert active in this research area. This book is divided into three sections. Section 1 consists of one chapter that gives an overview of the socioeconomic impact of mycotoxins. Section 2 has five chapters that address the prevention and control of aflatoxins both at pre- and post-harvest stages. Section 3 has two chapters that deal with health impact and control in the poultry industry. This publication aims at providing a thorough overview of the latest research efforts in the field and opens new possible research paths for further novel developments in addressing the problem of mycotoxins.