Among the many already known mycotoxins, the ones most relevant as health hazards in Great Britain, and in other Countries in the temperate zones, are the secondary metabolites of Fusaria. These common moulds (often pink) can produce in stored high-moisture agricultural products, the oestrogenic, non-steroidal, zearalenone and/or T-2 toxin, and other irritant trichothecenes.
Significant levels of such mycotoxins may develop in cereal-grains harvested under very wet weather conditions, or when imported by sea.
Fusarium mycotoxins have been recognised as responsible for ‘alimentary toxic aleukia’ an often fatal illness, that followed eating bread made from mouldy millet by starving people in the USSR. They might also have been involved in pellagra, Wernicke's-Korsakoff encephalopathy and certain other disorders in which gastro-intestinal upset is a common feature.
Further studies are needed on the possible role of zearalenone, and its oestrogenic derivatives, in abnormalities and tumours of sex, and certain other, organs which are targets for oestrogenic agents.
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