Review on the Occurrence of Mycotoxigenic Fungi in Dried Fruits and the Role of Stored-Product Insects
Dried fruits, which are widely produced in different parts of the world, and, especially in the Mediterranean basin, are broadly known for their durability and their nutritional value. This is primarily due to their ability to be stored for long periods of time and their concentrated nutrient conten...
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Toxins |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/17/7/313 |
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| author | Dimitrios-Evangelos Miliordos Georgia V. Baliota Christos G. Athanassiou Pantelis I. Natskoulis |
| author_facet | Dimitrios-Evangelos Miliordos Georgia V. Baliota Christos G. Athanassiou Pantelis I. Natskoulis |
| author_sort | Dimitrios-Evangelos Miliordos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Dried fruits, which are widely produced in different parts of the world, and, especially in the Mediterranean basin, are broadly known for their durability and their nutritional value. This is primarily due to their ability to be stored for long periods of time and their concentrated nutrient content. However, these fruits can be at risk of contamination by specific stored-product insects and various toxigenic fungal species at different stages of their production process, including cultivation, harvesting, processing, drying, and storage. As a result, the dried fruits that are consumed may contain mycotoxins, which pose a potential risk for human health. The risk is significant in both industrialized and developing nations, as climate change and inadequate sanitation practices contribute to the proliferation of mycotoxins in these commodities. It is worth noting that there are several factors that contribute to the production of mycotoxins, such as the type of fruit, geographical location, climatic conditions, harvest treatments, and storage management practices, with specialized insects, known as “stored-product insects”, playing a crucial role in this latter stage. Therefore, it is critically important to gain a comprehensive understanding of the interaction among insects, fungi, and mycotoxins to effectively mitigate this problem. In this review, the primary objective is to bridge the knowledge gap by consolidating data from various regions to gain a global perspective on this topic. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-291e4effc3b245a39bdcc588e858adf0 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2072-6651 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Toxins |
| spelling | doaj-art-291e4effc3b245a39bdcc588e858adf02025-08-20T03:08:02ZengMDPI AGToxins2072-66512025-06-0117731310.3390/toxins17070313Review on the Occurrence of Mycotoxigenic Fungi in Dried Fruits and the Role of Stored-Product InsectsDimitrios-Evangelos Miliordos0Georgia V. Baliota1Christos G. Athanassiou2Pantelis I. Natskoulis3Institute of Technology of Agricultural Products, Hellenic Agricultural Organization (ELGO)—“DIMITRA”, Sofokli Venizelou 1, 14123 Likovrisi, GreeceLaboratory of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Department of Agriculture, Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly, Phytokou Str., 38446 Volos, GreeceLaboratory of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Department of Agriculture, Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly, Phytokou Str., 38446 Volos, GreeceInstitute of Technology of Agricultural Products, Hellenic Agricultural Organization (ELGO)—“DIMITRA”, Sofokli Venizelou 1, 14123 Likovrisi, GreeceDried fruits, which are widely produced in different parts of the world, and, especially in the Mediterranean basin, are broadly known for their durability and their nutritional value. This is primarily due to their ability to be stored for long periods of time and their concentrated nutrient content. However, these fruits can be at risk of contamination by specific stored-product insects and various toxigenic fungal species at different stages of their production process, including cultivation, harvesting, processing, drying, and storage. As a result, the dried fruits that are consumed may contain mycotoxins, which pose a potential risk for human health. The risk is significant in both industrialized and developing nations, as climate change and inadequate sanitation practices contribute to the proliferation of mycotoxins in these commodities. It is worth noting that there are several factors that contribute to the production of mycotoxins, such as the type of fruit, geographical location, climatic conditions, harvest treatments, and storage management practices, with specialized insects, known as “stored-product insects”, playing a crucial role in this latter stage. Therefore, it is critically important to gain a comprehensive understanding of the interaction among insects, fungi, and mycotoxins to effectively mitigate this problem. In this review, the primary objective is to bridge the knowledge gap by consolidating data from various regions to gain a global perspective on this topic.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/17/7/313fungimouldmycotoxinspestsdried fruitsfood safety |
| spellingShingle | Dimitrios-Evangelos Miliordos Georgia V. Baliota Christos G. Athanassiou Pantelis I. Natskoulis Review on the Occurrence of Mycotoxigenic Fungi in Dried Fruits and the Role of Stored-Product Insects Toxins fungi mould mycotoxins pests dried fruits food safety |
| title | Review on the Occurrence of Mycotoxigenic Fungi in Dried Fruits and the Role of Stored-Product Insects |
| title_full | Review on the Occurrence of Mycotoxigenic Fungi in Dried Fruits and the Role of Stored-Product Insects |
| title_fullStr | Review on the Occurrence of Mycotoxigenic Fungi in Dried Fruits and the Role of Stored-Product Insects |
| title_full_unstemmed | Review on the Occurrence of Mycotoxigenic Fungi in Dried Fruits and the Role of Stored-Product Insects |
| title_short | Review on the Occurrence of Mycotoxigenic Fungi in Dried Fruits and the Role of Stored-Product Insects |
| title_sort | review on the occurrence of mycotoxigenic fungi in dried fruits and the role of stored product insects |
| topic | fungi mould mycotoxins pests dried fruits food safety |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/17/7/313 |
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