Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2023 Sep 18;15(9):576.
doi: 10.3390/toxins15090576.

Occurrence of Mycotoxins in Dried Fruits Worldwide, with a Focus on Aflatoxins and Ochratoxin A: A Review

Miguel Ángel González-Curbelo  1 , Bulent Kabak  2   3
Affiliations
Review

Occurrence of Mycotoxins in Dried Fruits Worldwide, with a Focus on Aflatoxins and Ochratoxin A: A Review

Miguel Ángel González-Curbelo et al. Toxins (Basel). .

Abstract

Dried fruits are popular and nutritious snacks consumed worldwide due to their long shelf life and concentrated nutrient content. However, fruits can be contaminated with various toxigenic fungal species during different stages, including cultivation, harvesting, processing, drying, and storage. Consequently, these products may contain high levels of mycotoxins. This risk is particularly pronounced in developed countries due to the impact of climate change. Several factors contribute to mycotoxin production, including the type of fruit, geographical location, climate conditions, harvest treatments, and storage management practices. The main mycotoxins in dried fruits are aflatoxins (AFs) and ochratoxin A (OTA), which can induce human health problems and economic losses. Mycotoxin contamination can vary significantly depending on the geographic origin of dried fruits (vine fruits, figs, dates, apricots, prunes, and mulberries). The aim of this review was to fill the knowledge gap by consolidating data from various regions to understand the global picture and identify regions with higher contamination risks. By consolidating research from various origins and stages of the supply chain, the review intends to shed light on potential contamination events during pre-harvest, drying, storage, and trading, while also highlighting the effects of storage conditions and climate change on mycotoxin contamination.

Keywords: climate change; drying methods supply chain; exposure; food safety; monitoring; storage conditions.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The major components of the supply chain of dried fruits.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Chemical structures of AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, and AFG2.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Chemical structure of OTA.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Sullivan V.K., Na M., Proctor D.N., Kris-Etherton P.M., Petersen K.S. Consumption of dried fruits is associated with greater intakes of underconsumed nutrients, higher total energy intakes, and better diet quality in US adults: A cross sectional analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2007–2016. J. Acad. Nutr. Diet. 2021;121:1258–1272. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2020.08.085. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Omolola A.O., Jideani A.I.O., Kapila P.F. Quality properties of fruits as affected by drying operation. Crit. Rev. Food Sci. Nutr. 2017;57:95–108. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2013.859563. - DOI - PubMed
    1. INC (International Nut and Dried Fruit Council) (INC) Nuts & Dried Fruits Statistical Yearbook 2021/2022. INC Statistics. 2022. [(accessed on 8 March 2023)]. Available online: https://www.nutfruit.org/files/tech/1651579968_Statistical_Yearbook_2021....
    1. FAO (Food and Agricultural Organisation) Proceedings of the Expert Consultation on Planning the Development of Sundrying Techniques in Africa. FAO; Rome, Italy: 1985.
    1. Brown M. Processing and food and beverage shelf life. In: Kilcast D., Subramaniam P., editors. Food and Beverage Stability and Shelf Life. Woodhead Publishing; Thorston, UK: 2011. pp. 184–243.

LinkOut - more resources