Climate change is leading to a rise in the risk of human exposure to mycotoxins, a naturally occurring compound produced by fungi which can be harmful to health, according to a briefing from the European Environment Agency (EEA).
Climate change is altering fungal behaviour and distribution, potentially increasing the risk of exposure to these toxins, while increased rainfall, flooding and soil erosion can also transfer these toxins from soil to rivers and groundwater, the report says.
Extreme weather events increase the stress that plants are exposed to, making cereals more vulnerable to fungal infections and mycotoxin contamination, the report warned. Beyond human health concerns, increased crop contamination can also lead to lower yields.
Along with the direct impact of mycotoxins on human health, the briefing: Mycotoxin Exposure in a Changing European Climate warns that the increased prevalence of fungal infections, due to climate change, could trigger increased use of fungicide. This would then require enhanced monitoring of fungicide residues and re-evaluation of the risks they pose to the population. “Such risks my include antifungal resistance and, therefore, a global increase in human fungal diseases with significant loss of food crops and livestock to fungal pathogens,” the briefing says.
Mycotoxins are produced by fungi present in certain foods, feeds and crops. But with rising temperatures and increased humidity the changing fungal distribution is increasing human exposure to these compounds. Mycotoxins are known to disrupt hormones, weaken the immune system, damage the liver and kidneys and act as carcinogens, the briefing says.
The briefing draws on information gathered from the Horizon 2020 Human Biomonitoring for European Union (HBM4EU) project which was launched in 2016 with the aim of improving the collective understanding of human exposure to hazardous chemicals and developing HBM as an exposure assessment method. The EEA briefing indicates that 14% of Europe’s adult population is exposed to levels of the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) that may negatively impact health.
DON is frequently found in wheat, maize and barely in temperate regions and in Europe the main source of human exposure is through eating contaminated food. The EEA report says that: “While approximately 25% of crops exceed EU regulatory limits for mycotoxins, contamination can occur at levels above the detectable limits in up to 60-80% if crops.”
Mycotoxins are absorbed by plants during growth or after harvesting and can remain in food even after washing, cooking or processing as some are resistant to heat. In addition, mycotoxin contamination is not always visible.
The briefing calls for the One Health Approach to be adopted to tackle the problem. The approach recognises the complex interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health. Its aim is to prevent and respond to health threats safeguarding plants, animals, ecosystems and human health simultaneously.
Other measures set out in the briefing include breeding fungi-resistant crops. “Most of the research related to crop development is already based on genetic and biotechnological approaches designed to handle environmental stresses caused by climate change. This includes work on, for example, drought-resistant crops. In this context, it is important to carry on developing robust, pathogen resistant crops,” the briefing adds.
Further reading
• Has clinical resistance to fungicides been proven?
• Does the use of azole fungicides in crop protection encourage resistance in the human fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus?
• Bayer grants are helping develop solutions for agriculture
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