Patulin – mycotoxic contamination in fruit and vegetable produce posing health hazards

Food spoilage is a multi-stage process. There is a phenomenon of ecological succession where one group of microbes creates an environment for the development of another, resulting in total spoil of the raw material.[1] Certainly each of us has seen a thick, white or colored shell covering the skin of fruit, processed foods or other foods on several occasions. This is a sign that the infected product has developed the conditions necessary for the growth and development of fungal pathogens, commonly known as fungi.

Patulina is a secondary metabolite of some species of toxin-producing fungi of the genus Penicillum, Aspergillus and Byssochlamys (the heat-resistant mold of the fruit and vegetable processing industry). Chemically, it is a two-dimensional lactone, a compound of very high toxicity to living organisms. This property is due to the high reactivity of patulins with proteins and nucleic acids. The main cause of fruit spoilage is Penicylum expansum.

In the 1940s, patulina was used as an antibiotic in a cold aerosol in the last century. It was soon found to have toxic properties [1]. Patulina is suspected of carcinogenic and teratogenic effects, since it is currently reported that it may also cause fetal defects. The maximum tolerated content of this mycotoxin in fruit juices and nectars is 50 μg/kg, and in apple products (apple juice, apple puree) intended for direct consumption may not exceed 25 μg per kg. Consuming a small dose of patulina may not be dangerous, as the toxicity of pathogens is highly dependent on it.

The removal of moulded fruit particles by itself is not equivalent to the disposal of a toxic substance. Consequently, products derived from contaminated fruit may be dangerous as well as seemingly healthy products in which no signs of so-called brown rot have been observed. Because this subtle mycotoxin can be found inside, i.e. in the seeds or nests of berry and cereal juices (pomidars, apples). Therefore, the use of over-the-counter, over-polluted fruit products may be hazardous, and in any case, no process can be undertaken to remove the contaminated seeds by cutting off their parts.