When we talk about toxic mushrooms, the image that comes to mind is usually that of an amanita with a red cap with white polka dots. But as is often the case, our real enemies are those we do not see: microscopic fungi which produce and spread substances called “mycotoxins” in their environment, which are dangerous for our health.
Certain microscopic fungi make us happy because they enable the production of bread, cheese, alcoholic beverages and even cold meats. But others pose serious problems. This is particularly the case of molds which develop in crops or on harvests and produce toxic compounds: mycotoxins. These substances contaminate many foodstuffs (cereals, dried fruits, spices, etc.) and are unfortunately extremely stable and resistant to the processing processes used by the food industry. Therefore, we expose ourselves to it by consuming contaminated plants, but also the milk or meat of animals which have themselves been fed with foods which contain them.
However, this exhibition is far from trivial. Aflatoxin, ochratoxin A, deoxynivalenol, patulin… among the most widespread mycotoxins, a dozen have already attracted attention because of their serious effects on health. These may include symptoms that appear quickly after consuming contaminated products, as well as longer-term effects. Thus, aflatoxin can cause potentially fatal acute poisoning, but also liver cancer in the event of chronic exposure. Other mycotoxins can impair the functioning of our immune system and increase our susceptibility to infections. Some can attack the intestinal barrier, spread throughout the body and facilitate the passage of other contaminants and microbes. They thus induce an increase in sensitivity to chronic inflammatory bowel diseases and intestinal infections. Another problem, knowing that a mushroom can produce several mycotoxins and that a food can be contaminated by several fungi and other problematic substances, our diet exposes us to quite a mixture! However, when combined together, certain molecules see their harmful effects amplified: this is what toxicologists call the “cocktail effect”.
According to the World Health Organization, more than 500 million people worldwide are exposed to dangerous levels of mycotoxins, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa where climatic conditions and agricultural practices favor the growth of mold. In Europe and North America, monitoring systems associated with strict regulations limit the presence of these substances in foods. However, the exposure of the French is not zero: between 2014 and 2016, almost half of the participants in a study conducted by Public Health France were exposed to ochratoxin A, a mycotoxin classified as “possibly carcinogenic” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
To fight against these fungal toxins, we obviously need to continue to study them in order to better understand their effects on our body. But it is above all important to act on agricultural practices and storage conditions, so as to limit food contamination. This is all the more important as climate change produces conditions particularly favorable to mold, with alternating droughts and heavy precipitation.
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