Prevention of Mycotoxin Contamination of Meat and Meat Products

• Gareis M.

  Institute for Microbiology and Toxicology, Federal Center for Meat Research

• Scheuer R.

  Institute for Microbiology and Toxicology, Federal Center for Meat Research

抄録

In meat mycotoxins can occur primarily as a result of indirect transmission from animals exposed to natural contaminated feed. In case of meat products the possible occurrence of mycotoxins is strongly influenced by the particular recipe, i.e. the origin of meat and edible tissues used and the quality of ingredients such as spices, which are often highly contaminated with different mycotoxins. Other sources of contamination are the use of fungal derivatives in food processing, the use of toxigenic species or strains of fungal starter cultures for fermented products or when undesired moulding takes place. Among the farmed animals relevant mycotoxin residues could be found in edible tissues and blood sera from pigs and poultry, while organs or muscle meat from ruminants are of no importance because of the decomposition activity of the rumen flora. Highest toxin concentrations could mainly be expected in liver and kidney, being often the target organs for mycotoxins. Transmission of mycotoxins and/or their metabolites to animal tissues has been proven for several mycotoxins among which aflatoxins and ochratoxins are of most importance because of their carcinogenic and genotoxic properties. In Europe, special interest is focused on ochratoxin A, for which the setting of maximum tolerable levels in various food stuffs and beverages is discussed. Ochratoxin A has been shown to occur in edible tissues of swine, a variety of sausages and spices. To ensure the safety of meat, prevention strategies have to include all stages of food production with the aim to avoid fungal as well as mycotoxin contamination. The most important step lies at the stage of animal feeding and the reduction of the carry - over risk of mycotoxins from feed to animals. For safe meat products concepts for risk management and prevention measures are needed, which allow the detection and exclusion of the use of contaminated raw materials and spices. Fungal derivatives such as pigments used as colouring agents have to be evaluated toxicologically. Strategies for minimising the mycotoxin risk in mould-ripened meat products require fungi which are generally regarded as safe (GRAS status). Selection criteria therefore must be focused particularly on the absence of mycotoxin production on the fermented food substrate and should include the use of bioassays.

収録刊行物

• マイコトキシン

  マイコトキシン 1999 (Suppl2), 101-108, 1999

  日本マイコトキシン学会

キーワード

• ochratoxin A
• citrinin
• aflatoxins
• Monascus
• Penicillium
• spices
• starter cultures

詳細情報

• CRID: 1390001204785362432
• NII論文ID: 130003660653
• DOI: 10.2520/myco1975.1999.suppl2_101
• ISSN: 18810128
• ISSN: 02851466
• 本文言語コード: en
• データソース種別:
  • JaLC
  • Crossref
  • CiNii Articles
• 抄録ライセンスフラグ: 使用不可