Fungal toxicosis

Accidental or deliberate consumption of wild fungi or fungally contaminated food can lead to poisoning or toxicosis of the consumer because some fungi naturally contain toxic metabolites called mycotoxins. The Deliberate toxicosis can arise from consumption of mushrooms and toadstools that are known to contain naturally hallucinatory drugs like psilocybins, which lead to euphoric states followed by extreme gastrointestinal distress. Accidental consumption of misidentified fungal fruit bodies can lead to fatal mush- room poisoning from fungal toxins, causing total liver failure between 8 and 10 hours later.  Consumption of food accidentally contaminated by fungal metabolites also leads to human and animal death. For instance rye flour contaminated by the ergots of the fungus Claviceps purpurea leads to the symptoms of St Anthony’s fire, where peripheral nerve damage is caused through the presence of ergometrine in the fungal tissue. This can be followed through gangrene of the limbs and death. Detection of fungal mycotoxins such as ochratoxin in apple juice and aflatoxin in peanuts has also caused problems for food producers and consumers and has forced improvements in product processing.