Dietary risk assessment for fumonisins: challenges and prospects

Abstract

Fumonisins, mycotoxins commonly found in cereal and cereal-based products, are associated with a wide range of toxic effects. Dietary risk assessments for fumonisins have been conducted worldwide to evaluate the potential health risks that could arise from exposure. In this paper, the latest dietary risk assessments for fumonisins were summarized, the approaches used were evaluated, and challenges and prospects were raised. Few studies indicated a potential risk from the exposure to fumonisins through diet, but most of them could be refined (in a tiered approach) to show a more realistic scenario. For fumonisins, the inclusion of matrix-associated and modified forms in dietary risk assessments should be carefully evaluated, since they could greatly increase the total fumonisin content found in food products and may shift the current situation presented.