Question

Name two fungi causing food poisoning.

Answer 1

Hint: Food poisoning is a food-borne illness caused by the intake of food contaminated by the bacteria, viruses, fungi, toxins and spoiled food. Infectious organisms’ and their toxins are the main reason for food poisoning

Complete answer:

The toxins produced by the fungi such as penicillin, Rhizopus, Aspergillus are called mycotoxins. These are chemical substances. Mycotoxicosis is an illness caused by the ingestion of food containing the fungal toxin. Mycotoxins which can be extremely harmful or sometimes lethal to humans and also to animals. Some of the important mycotoxins are as follows: 

Anatoxins: Aspergillus flavus and similar strains can produce Aflatoxins. It is one of the potent mycotoxins.  About 60% of the Aspergillus flavus fungi can produce this toxin. Approximately lakhs of turkey poults died in England within a few months when they were fed with peanut meal that was heavily contaminated by Aspergillus flavus. The chemical substance was isolated from the peanut meal and found toxin in nature. Thereafter its name is aflatoxin. Apart from the A. flavus, there are several other fungi which are reported to produce the Anatoxins such Aspergillus Niger, ochraceus, Penicillium citrinum. 

Coprine: This mycotoxin can be produced by the edible mushroom called Coprinus atramentarius. This toxin affects the gastrointestinal tract and other discomforts when the mushroom is accompanied by alcohol consumption. 

Hence, the Aspergillus flavus and mushroom are the two fungi which can cause food poisoning.  

Note: Apart from these two fungi there are many other can which can produce mycotoxin, they are as follow:
-Gyromitrin: Deadly poison presents the fruiting bodies of saddle fungi (Helvella sp.) and false morels.
-Ochratoxins: It was first isolated from Aspergillus ochraceus. Nowadays, it can be produced by penicillium and Aspergillus.
-Trichothecenes: It can be produced by the species of Cephalosporium, Myrothecium, Trichoderma and Stachybotrys.
-Zearalenone: It can be produced by the Fusarium moniliforme and Fusarium graminearum.