Publicação
Brazil nuts : benefits and risks associated with contamination by fungi and mycotoxins
| Resumo: | The monotypic type genus Bertholletia produces commercially nutritionally harvested edible seeds, Brazil nuts. It is an important product from the Amazon forest in the food production chain, with a 2008 annual world production of 78,000 tonnes, being Brazil responsible for approximately 40% of it. Although there are beneficial nutritional properties, the prevailing mycobiota of Brazil nuts include fungi that are producers of aflatoxins, such as Aspergillus flavus, A. parasiticus and A. nomius. Aflatoxins have deleterious effects in consumption considering the global distribution chain, affecting major exporting countries. The present review is focused on the importance of Brazil nuts for the Amazon rainforest, emphasizing on the social and environmental impact of its production, on the mycobiota contamination of seeds, and on the presence of mycotoxins and related food safety aspects. |
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| Autores principais: | Silva, Otniel Freitas |
| Outros Autores: | Venâncio, Armando |
| Assunto: | Bertholletia excelsa Brazil Nuts Aspergillus Aflatoxins Food safety Health benefit |
| Ano: | 2011 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | artigo |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso restrito |
| Instituição associada: | Universidade do Minho |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| Origem: | RepositóriUM - Universidade do Minho |
| Resumo: | The monotypic type genus Bertholletia produces commercially nutritionally harvested edible seeds, Brazil nuts. It is an important product from the Amazon forest in the food production chain, with a 2008 annual world production of 78,000 tonnes, being Brazil responsible for approximately 40% of it. Although there are beneficial nutritional properties, the prevailing mycobiota of Brazil nuts include fungi that are producers of aflatoxins, such as Aspergillus flavus, A. parasiticus and A. nomius. Aflatoxins have deleterious effects in consumption considering the global distribution chain, affecting major exporting countries. The present review is focused on the importance of Brazil nuts for the Amazon rainforest, emphasizing on the social and environmental impact of its production, on the mycobiota contamination of seeds, and on the presence of mycotoxins and related food safety aspects. |
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