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Review
. 2010 Sep;2(9):2289-332.
doi: 10.3390/toxins2092289. Epub 2010 Sep 20.

Naturally occurring food toxins

Laurie C Dolan  1 , Ray A Matulka, George A Burdock
Affiliations
Review

Naturally occurring food toxins

Laurie C Dolan et al. Toxins (Basel). 2010 Sep.

Abstract

Although many foods contain toxins as a naturally-occurring constituent or, are formed as the result of handling or processing, the incidence of adverse reactions to food is relatively low. The low incidence of adverse effects is the result of some pragmatic solutions by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other regulatory agencies through the creative use of specifications, action levels, tolerances, warning labels and prohibitions. Manufacturers have also played a role by setting limits on certain substances and developing mitigation procedures for process-induced toxins. Regardless of measures taken by regulators and food producers to protect consumers from natural food toxins, consumption of small levels of these materials is unavoidable. Although the risk for toxicity due to consumption of food toxins is fairly low, there is always the possibility of toxicity due to contamination, overconsumption, allergy or an unpredictable idiosyncratic response. The purpose of this review is to provide a toxicological and regulatory overview of some of the toxins present in some commonly consumed foods, and where possible, discuss the steps that have been taken to reduce consumer exposure, many of which are possible because of the unique process of food regulation in the United States.

Keywords: cooking; environmental; exposure; food; natural; processing; toxin.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) [40].
Figure 2
Figure 2
Comfrey (Symphytum officianale L.) [83].
Figure 3
Figure 3
Unripe Ackee Fruit (left panel) and ripe Ackee Fruit (right panel) [100].
Figure 4
Figure 4
Structure of myristicin.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Structure of acrylamide.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Structure of Furan.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Pseudo-nitzchia [157].
Figure 8
Figure 8
Juvenile Oilfish (Ruvettus pretiosus) [165].
Figure 9
Figure 9
Grayanotoxins [173].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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