FBs ingestion has been associated with both acute and chronic
effects in animal species. In particular FB1 is a cancer initiator, but it
is not genotoxic . The liver and kidney are the
main target organs, but the effect depends on strain, species, and
sex in response to the dose . The intestine has also
been reported as a possible target for FBs toxicity . It was observed that in horses, consumption of
FB-contaminated feeds has been linked to an illness known as
equine leukoencephalomalacia (ELEM), characterized by the presence
of liquefactive necrotic lesions in the white matter of the cerebrum,
although the grey matter may also be involved . FB1-contaminated feeds have been shown to be
cardiotoxic and cause pulmonary porcine pulmonary oedema. Reported
symptoms are dyspnoea and cyanosis until death . FBs, especially FB1, strongly inhibits the enzyme
ceramide (CER) synthase that modulates the acylation of sphinganine
(Sa) and recycling of sphingosine (So), increasing the intracellular
Sa that is a very cytotoxic compound. The changes of Sa to
So ratio in urine, blood and tissues, may be considered as the a
potential biomarker of FBs exposure in several animal species, but
studies have not shown an accurate validation . However there is no direct linkage between FBs consumption
and adverse health effects in humans. Some studies have
shown associations between FBs and human cancer. For example
human exposure to FBs has been associated with oesophageal
cancer in South Africa and liver cancer in
China . A study reported that these compounds
have been involved in a foodborne disease outbreak characterized
by abdominal pain, and diarrhea in some villages in India
after the consumption of contaminated corn and sorghum . In addition FBs have also been associated with neural
tube defects in the MexicoeTexas border.