Alternaria mycotoxins: an overview of chemical characterization, producers, toxicity, analysis and occurrence in foodstuffs

Microfungi of the genus Alternaria are ubiquitous pathogens and saprophytes. Many species of the genus Alternaria commonly cause spoilage of various food crops in the field or post-harvest decay. Due to their growth even at low temperatures, they are also responsible for spoilage of these commodities during refrigerated transport and storage. Several Alternaria species are known producers of toxic secondary metabolites - Alternaria mycotoxins. A. alternata produces a number of mycotoxins, including alternariol, alternariol monomethyl ether, altenuene, altertoxins I, II, III, tenuazonic acid and other less toxic metabolites. Tenuazonic acid is toxic to several animal species, e.g. mice, chicken, dogs. Alternariol, alternariol monomethyl ether, altenuene and altertoxin I are not very acutely toxic. There are several reports on the mutagenicity and genotoxicity of alternariol, and alternariol monomethyl ether. Alternariol has been identified as a topoisomerase I and II poison which might contribute to the impairment of DNA integrity in human colon carcinoma cells. Analytical methods to determine Alternaria toxins are largely based on procedures, involving cleanup by solvent partitioning or solid phase extraction, followed by chromatographic separation techniques, in combination with ultraviolet, fluorescence, electrochemical and mass spectroscopic detection. A large number of Alternaria metabolites has been reported to occur naturally in food commodities (e.g. fruit, vegetables, cereals and oil plants). Alternariol, alternariol monomethyl ether and tenuazonic acid were frequently detected in apples, apple products, mandarins, olives, pepper, red pepper, tomatoes, tomato products, oilseed rape meal, sunflower seeds, sorghum, wheat and edible oils. Alternariol and alternariol monomethyl ether were detected in citrus fruit, Japanese pears, prune nectar, raspberries, red currant, carrots, barley and oats. Alternariol monomethyl ether and tenuazonic acid were detected in melon. Natural occurrence of alternariol has been reported in apple juice, cranberry juice, grape juice, prune nectar, raspberry juice, red wine and lentils.