Naturally Occurring Food Toxicants

Abstract

Naturally produced toxic food components can be found in food of animal and plant origin, as well as in higher fungi used as a food source. Dangerous food components fall into different chemical classes, including simple amines and aminoacids, fatty acids, organic acids, phenolic compounds, and encompass also more complex alkaloids, cyanogenic glycosides and very complex proteins. Being diverse in their chemical structure, the mode of toxic action varies considerably among naturally occurring food toxicants. The toxins may impair specific organs and systems, such as the skin or cardiovascular system, or may have systematic effects by binding to hormone receptors or affecting the nervous system. This chapter presents to the reader the dietary risks linked to different substances naturally found in food, encompassing the food of fungal, plant and animal origin, and also including the toxins in spice plants, as well as taking into consideration unusual, indigenous food specific for certain regions of the World. The occurrence and chemistry of food toxins and the mode of their action is presented for common food like potatoes, beans and carrots, but also for many specific and interesting food sources used in some world cuisines. The presented overview of numerous food toxins of different origin underlines that not only the food for which the toxic character and high acute toxicity are unambiguous and well established is dangerous, but that also common and everyday food carries the potential health risk in specific circumstances such as the uniform diet. The chapter covers major food toxicants including seafood toxins, alkaloids, mushroom toxins, biogenic amines, phenolics and many other chemical classes. © 2011 by Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.