Harmful Organisms of Grain as Potential Risks to Human Health

Abstract

One of the main imperatives of agriculture and processing industry is the production of safe food of high nutritional quality free of biological, physical and chemical contaminants. Cereals are an essential part of human nutrition. Microorganism represents permanent microflora elements of cereals and fruits. The most frequent moulds are Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, Claviceps and Alternaria. Some of them biosynthesizes and excrete mycotoxins (aflatoxins, ochratoxins, sterigmatocystin, zearalenone, fumonisin, deoxynivalenol, ergot alkaloids). Data testify that about 25% of the total world production of grain is contaminated with at least one mycotoxin. Among the raw materials that are usually contaminated with mycotoxins are cereals, maize, oilseeds, dry and stone fruits. Mycotoxins in humans and animals cause mycotoxicosis and manifest mutagenic, teratogenic, embryo-toxic, hepatogenic, nephrotoxic, dermatogenic and carcinogenic effect. Stored products are also attacked by storage pests. The most important insect storage pests are Sytophilus granaries, Rhyzopertha dominica, Tribolium sp., Pyralis farinalis, Sitotriga cerealella, Plodia interpuctella, Ephestia kuehniella and Tinea granella. Contamination by insects, their metabolites and excrements reduces the quality of the food and makes it unsuitable for consumption. Many insect species are hosts and vectors of pathogens of man and/or animals. Carcinogenic and teratogenic substances are produced only by Tribolium sp. Professional exposure to the infested dust of grains is associated with changes in the type of allergic conjunctivitis, dermatitis or asthma. From rodents as storage pests and vectors of infectious diseases emphasize Ratus norvegicus, Mus musculus and Rattus rattus. Contaminants of food are global problem, they cause economic damage and have a negative impact on food and feed i.e. human and animal’s health.