Influence of mycotoxins on fish health

摘要

Mycotoxins are a wide group of compounds that often occur in food and feeds. These toxins negatively affect living organisms and may pose a risk for consumers' health. Fish seem to be a particularly vulnerable group because negative effects can be observed at low levels of contamination, much lower than those considered harmful for other farmed animals. Mycotoxins may disturb cellular homeostasis by their influence on cells' metabolism, causing DNA damage and organ lesions. Moreover, they are capable of immunomodulation, which may increase the occurrence of fish diseases caused by bacteria and other pathogens. Furthermore, these substances often have a negative impact on the growth rate of fish, which may cause economic losses to farmers. Although mycotoxins are commonly found in feeds, their ability to bioaccumulate in fish seems to be marginal. Therefore, according to the available data, fish may not be considered as the main source of mycotoxins for humans. Since there are no legal limits on the amount of mycotoxins present in fish feeds, it is necessary to constantly monitor the levels of mycotoxins in fish feeds and to investigate the influence of these substances on fish health.