FOOD COMMODITIES

NTD 213

YETUNDE ADEBAYO Ph.D

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NATURAL FOOD TOXINS
These are non-infective toxins or toxic substances that are naturally present in foods.
These include the following:
a. Solanine: occurs in the stems and leaves of potato plants and in the green part of
sprouting potatoes. When potatoes are stored in bright light, significant amount of
solanine are produced in the skin evidenced by greening. When ingested in
sufficient amounts, solanine produces pain, vomiting, jaundice and diarrhea.
Ordinarily, the green part of the potato are removed with the peel.
b. Trypsin Inhibitors: Legumes and seeds are important sources of protein and
energy in most tropical countries. However, they also contain toxic factors. Raw
soybean and others including cowpea contain trypsin inhibitor which hinders the
digestion of the protein content. Phytic acid is also present in soybeans and most
other beans. Phytic acid is bound with minerals and render them unavailable for the
use of the body. Proper cooking will reduce the activity of the trypsin inhibitors.
c. Linamarin: Cassava and lima beans contain linamarin – a glycoside that can split
to hydrocyanic acid. Hydrocyanic acid poisoning from cassava has been associated
with the causation of tropical ataxic neuropathy which is a degenerative disease.
NATURAL FOOD TOXINS
d. Lathyrism: Is a neurologic disease characterized by weakness of the leg muscle,
dragging of feet, loss of sensation of heat, pain and spinal cord lesions. The disease
occurs with the ingestion of large amount of seeds of lathyrus sativa which is a
legume that grow wild but also cultivated particularly in India. The seeds contain
neurotoxin which causes the lathyrism or neurolathyrism. The disease could
eventually lead to crippling and paralysis.
e. Favism: Is an inherited sensitivity to fava or broad beans and is fairly common in
the Mediterranean area and Asia. Consumption of fava beans lead to hemolysis of
the red blood cells.
f. Gossypol: Is a toxicant in cottonseed and must be removed before the cottonseed
meal can be used in protein mixtures.
g. Aflatoxins: Are extremely toxic substances that has been found to produce liver
damage and carcinoma in animals. Aflatoxin is produced by a mould called
Aspergillus flavus which grow on nuts and grains when they are allowed to remain
in damp ground or when they are stored without sufficient drying.

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NATURAL FOOD TOXINS
h. Mushroom poisoning: A few species of mushroom are so toxic that their
consumption may be fatal. Other are mildly toxic while many species are harmless
and greatly enjoyed in meals. The Amanita is the most poisonous of the mushroom
and produces severe abdominal pain, prostration, jaundice and death in many
people who ingest it.
i. Goitrogen: Are antithyroid compounds which cause goiter. The main goitrogens
are thiocyanide which reduces the levels of iodine in the thyroid gland and
thiouracil which reduces the secretin of the thyroid hormone. These goitrogens are
most common in vegetables of the genus Brassica such as cabbage, cauliflower,
broccoli, brussels sprout and turnips. There is no adverse effect when eating normal
amounts of those vegetables but when they become a major part of the diet for
extended period of time, the antithyroid effect becomes evident.
j. Antivitamins: Certain substances in food can act as antivitamins, inactivate
vitamins or limiting their absorption in the human gut. One good example is
thiaminase present in certain fish. Animals fed raw fish containing thiaminase can
become thiamin deficient. However, it has not been clearly demonstrated that
antivitamins are not a major problem in humans.
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NATURAL FOOD TOXINS
In the same vein, haemorrhages have been observed in cattle that consumed feed
containing dicoumarol – a substance that can have a negative impact on vitamin K and
lead to bleeding.
k. Mycotoxins or Bacterial Toxins in Foods
Toxins from bacteria Staphylococcus aureus
• a exotoxin (lethal, dermonecrotic, hemolytic, leucolytic)
• b exotoxin (hemolytic)
• g exotoxin (hemolytic)
• d exotoxin (dermonecrotic, hemolytic)
• leucocidin (hemolytic)
• exfoliative toxin
• enterotoxin
• Clostridium botulinum (four strains)
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NATURAL FOOD TOXINS
• Toxins are lettered as A, B, Ca (1, 2, D), Cb, D (C1 and D), E, F, G. All of the toxics are
proteolytic and produce NH3, H2S, CO2 and volatile amines. The toxins are hemolytic and
neurotoxic.
Escherichia coli (several serotypes) induces diarrhea, vomiting, produces toxins that are heat
labile.
Bacillus cereus (several types) produces heat labile enterotoxins that induce vomiting and
diarrhea.
Mycotoxins produced by Fungi
• Aspergillus flavis
• Claviceps purpura
• Fusarium graminearum
• Aspergillus ochraceus
• Aspergillus parasiticus
• Penicillum viridicatum
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NATURAL FOOD TOXINS
l. Allergens in Food: These are substances that cause allergic reaction in humans
when consumed in food. Many people are allergic to one or more foods. Allergens
vary in composition and in the foods in which they are found. Shellfish and other
sea foods are especially common causes of allergic reactions.